US Judge Issues Preliminary Injunction Against Samsung Galaxy Tab

Samsung Electronics was dealt a blow when a California judge issued an injunction banning sales of the company's Galaxy Tab 10.1 touchscreen tablet at the request of Apple.

The preliminary injunction, which bars Samsung from making or selling the tablet, or any similar device, in the U.S., is the latest twist in the ongoing legal battle between Apple and the Korean technology giant. U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh wrote that Apple had made a strong case that Samsung had violated its design patent, which describes the front, back and sides of a device that looks similar to the iPad. The injunction is the first Apple has been granted against Samsung in the U.S. A trial is expected on July 30. Analysts said the ruling was unlikely to have an impact on the roughly 30 legal cases between the companies over design and technology patents in 10 different countries and won't significantly dent Samsung's earnings.