France rejects Samsung’s request to ban iPhone 4S


8 Dec 2011

The iPhone 4S

A French court has denied Samsung’s request to block the sale of the iPhone 4S in the country in the latest move in Samsung and Apple’s global patent disputes.

According to FOSS Patents, the court rejected Samsung’s requests and ordered the company to reimburse Apple’s legal fees.

Samsung filed preliminary injunctions against Apple in France and Italy in an attempt to block the sale of the iPhone 4S in these regions. The Korean company claimed the iPhone 4S infringed its wireless communications technology, specifically WCDMA standards and 3G.

Italy will hold a second hearing on whether or not it should ban the iPhone 4S in that country. It is likely to be influenced by France’s decision.

Apple and Samsung has ongoing smartphone and tablet patent disputes spanning across the globe, in areas such as Japan, Australia, the US and Europe.

Apple claims Samsung’s Galaxy range of products infringes on the design of its iOS line while Samsung claims Apple infringed on its wireless patents.