Lucy Koh Blocks US Sales of Samsung's Older Tablets

District Judge Lucy Koh has granted Apple’s motion for a preliminary injunction against sales in the US of the 10.1 version of Samsung’s Galaxy Tab tablet computer.

“Although Samsung has a right to compete, it does not have a right to compete unfairly, by flooding the market with infringing products,” reads Koh’s decision filed Tuesday.

The preliminary injunction, which blocks sales of Samsung’s older tablet model, becomes effective as soon as Apple posts a $2.6 million bond to insure that Samsung won’t suffer damages if the injunction is lifted after trial.

The ruling does not halt sales of Samsung’s current-model Galaxy Tab 10.1 II released in the US in May. Since most of Samsung’s current US tablet sales are of the newer model, the injunction will have little impact on Samsung’s revenues.

Apple had filed its motion for the preliminary injunction in May 2012 on the ground that Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 infringes on a patent granted for the iPad. In June Apple filed a similar motion against Samsung’s Galaxy S III. The hearing on that motion has not yet taken place.

During Q4 of 2011 Apple’s iPad held a 54.7% market share while Samsung had a 5.8% share, according to an IDC report dated March 2012. The global success of Samsung’s new Galaxy S III smartphone, which is currently outselling Apple’s iPhone around the world, suggests that it will gain ground on Apple in the tablet segment as well. Apple had released the iPad about a year ahead of any competing product from Samsung.

Lucy Koh is the first female Korean American federal district court judge. She was nominated to the federal bench on January 20, 2010 by President Barack Obama on the recommendation of California Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein. She was approved by the Senate on June 7, 2010 by a 90-0 vote and took office on June 9, 2010.