Fate of Galaxy hinges on difference

Apple may get a faster schedule for evidence-sharing in its bid for a court order to block sales of Samsung Electronics’ latest Galaxy smartphone in the U.S., a federal judge said.

U.S. District Judge Lucy H. Koh in San Jose, California, gave the two sides a one-day deadline on Thursday to tell her how the Galaxy S3 is “colorably different” from Samsung’s Nexus smartphone. The Nexus was the original target of Apple’s infringement claim in February.

Koh said she wants to know if the Galaxy S3 contains a “different combination of features” from the Nexus. She said she will allow some “expedited” exchange of information between the companies.

Apple’s request for an injunction on June 5 reflects the failure of court-ordered talks between Apple CEO Tim Cook and his Samsung counterpart Choi Gee-sung last month. The world’s two biggest makers of smartphones have accused each other of copying their respective designs and technology for mobile devices. They are now fighting patent battles in four continents to retain their dominance in the $219 billion global smartphone market.

Apple lawyer Josh Krevitt told Koh he was considering filing a request for a temporary restraining order in the interest of blocking sales of the Galaxy S3 before its scheduled release in the U.S. this month.

Bloomberg