Samsung loses appeal against Apple's Galaxy Tab ban

Apple is set to win a US ban on sales of the Samsung Galaxy Tab tablet computer after a judge denied an appeal by the Korean firm.


Samsung had appealed against the injunction, issued by Judge Lucy Koh last week, asking for it to be put on hold. Judge Koh has denied the request.


The judge also issued an injunction last week banning sales of the Galaxy Nexus smartphone, against which Samsung also appealed. The judge has yet to rule on that request.


Samsung provided seven grounds for its appeal, including that Apple cannot prove that its market share is being damaged.


A Samsung spokesman said the company was "disappointed" with the decision. "We believe today’s ruling will ultimately reduce the availability of superior technological features to consumers in the United States," he said.


Samsung's Galaxy tablets, powered by Google's Android operating system, are considered by many industry experts to be the main rival to the market-leading iPad. The ruling comes with Samsung facing impending competition from rivals. Both Microsoft and Google are about to release their own tablets.


Koh had previously denied Apple's bid for an injunction on the tablet and multiple Galaxy smartphones. However, a federal appeals court instructed Koh to reconsider Apple's request on the tablet.


"Although Samsung has a right to compete, it does not have a right to compete unfairly, by flooding the market with infringing products," Koh wrote, directing that her order become effective once Apple posts a $2.6m bond to protect against damages suffered by Samsung if the injunction is later found to have been wrong.


If Samsung fails to get the injunction lifted in the district court, it can take its case to the federal appeals court in Washington DC, which has jurisdiction over intellectual property cases