Apple attempt to ban the Samsung Galaxy Nexus

You might be familiar with the numerous spats that have broken out between big mobile players Samsung and Apple over the past few months. Cropping up again and again, amidst tech headlines dating way back into 2011, Apple now look to be up to their old tricks yet again.

The history books show that Apple, despite making Samsung their prime target, don't wholly discriminate, as the likes of HTC and other Android device makers have come under fire from Cupertino too.

Aside from the physical form fiasco between Apple's iPad and Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1, the majority of the lawsuits issued against Android devices focus more around user interface, software and mobile services.

This time around, Apple has its attentions on a number of software patents which affect the Galaxy Nexus due to its use of stock Android Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0. As such, these lawsuits would be just as applicable to any device which used an untouched version of ICS, irrespective of maker or hardware.

The lawsuits in action refer to a set of US patents as follows:

• US Patent No. 5946647 - System and method for performing an action on a structure in computer-generated data.

Apple previously won the ruling over this patent, resulting in the ban of importation or sale on a number of HTC Android devices, including the T-Mobile G2, the AT&T Aria, the Sprint Evo 4G and the Verizon Droid Incredible.

It affects the device's ability to detect a phone number, date or address and allow the detected content to initiate an action resulting in a new application such as the phone dialler or maps to launch.

• US Patent No. 8086604 - Universal interface for retrieval of information in a computer system.

This refers to searching multiple sources of information on a device from a single means of entry. Apple make reference to Siri specifically, but they argue that the inclusion of text-based entry via the means of Spotlight would be just as viable for grounds of infringement.

• US Patent No. 8046721 - Unlocking a device by performing gestures on an unlock image.

Every iOS device has that recognizable 'slide to unlock' bar along the bottom of the screen. Despite already having patent coverage on the image unlock feature, this newer, broader patent aims to include the more unique ways in which other OEMs have developed for unlocking their Android devices.

• US Patent No. 8074172 - Method, system, and graphical user interface for providing word recommendations.

The fourth and final patent in Apple's arsenal is also the most recent (filed in 2007 and issued in December 2011). It covers the nature of semi-predictive text entry; that is to say, when the user starts to enter text into the device and is given the option to accept or reject suggested words manually.

The courts are yet to decide upon the action necessary to see these lawsuits through, but as they were issued late last year, we don't expect to have to wait much longer for a result.

Do you think Apple will ever manage to cripple the Android user experience outright or will Google and its affiliates continue to find ways around the legal arm of this Cupertino-based tech powerhouse?

Source | Via