by Yoo Seungki
SEOUL, April 21 (Xinhua) -- Apple looks alarmed by challenges from Samsung Electronics.
It filed a lawsuit with the U.S. District Court in Northern California, claiming that Samsung's Galaxy phones and Galaxy Tab tablet computers infringed Apple's patents and the trademarked appearance of the iPhone and iPad.
Legal battles between tech companies are nothing new, but this was the first time Apple sued its key parts supplier Samsung. Apple was the South Korean company's second-largest client last year.
Apple harshly criticized Samsung, saying the Android-based Galaxy phones and table computers slavishly copied its iPhone and iPad.
"It's no coincidence that Samsung's latest products look a lot like the iPhone and iPad from the shape of the hardware to the user interface and even the packaging," Steve Park, a spokesman at Apple Korea, told Xinhua. "This kind of blatant copying is wrong, and we need to protect Apple's intellectual property when companies steal our ideas."
Steve Jobs, chief executive officer (CEO) of Apple, also attacked Samsung aggressively by describing the South Korean company as one of copycats when unveiling the iPad 2 in March.
Apple has appeared to be the top dog in the smartphone and tablet markets since 2008 when it disclosed its own network and program with confidence, but the lawsuit filed against Samsung makes Apple look like a nail-biter, scurrying to keep its rivals in check.
"Apple tried to deliver a message that Apple is an original player and Samsung is a follower. Apple seemed to have no intention of tussling with Samsung. Apple just sought to make a pick-off throw to its most powerful competitor," Kim Dohan, a Seoul-based analyst at Samsung Securities, told Xinhua.
"Samsung has been busy to catch Apple until now, but the South Korean company is projected to exert an all-out war with Apple from the second-quarter of this year," Shim Jae-youb, an equity strategist at Shinhan Investment Corp. in Seoul, said in a daily report.
"Apple seemed to lose its composure as a winner because it will likely have difficulty maintaining its innovative image without Steven Jobs who has been on medical leave since January. The importance of hardware companies has been emphasized following the Japanese earthquake, and Samsung's next-generational products are expected to surpass the existing Galaxy series," Shim said.
Steve Jobs, famous for his own style of leadership, management and creative process, has been regarded as key to Apple's innovation. Apple reported its fiscal second-quarter profits that almost doubled, but the tech firm may be in trouble without Jobs to keep its dominant status amid fiercer competition with runner- ups like Samsung.
Apple's net income reached 5.99 billion U.S. dollars in the fiscal second quarter, sharply up from 3.07 billion dollars a year earlier. Sales jumped 83 percent on-year to 24.7 billion dollars over the cited period.
Jobs' absence did not have a material impact on earnings results, but the devastating earthquake in Japan along with Jobs' leave is feared to worsen supply shortages from the fiscal third quarter. Japanese companies are key suppliers of Apple for several components such as flash memory, touch-screen glass and batteries.
Meanwhile, market waterchers here said the most import reason why Apple sued Samsung is the future launch of Android-based new models from Samsung. Apple had little competition when it entered the table-style devices market, but it is expected to face strong challenges from new comers.
Samsung said on Jan. 27 that it had shipped two million Galaxy Tab units that are based on Google's Android operating system, and it will launch the next-generational Galaxy series during the second-quarter of the year.
"Steve Jobs is an excellent CEO, but Apple can fare well without Jobs. The Japanese quake may cause problems in the supply chain, but supply shortages are not expected to last for more than a year. Apple sued Samsung in a bid to keep its competitor in check ahead of the rollout of new models," Nam Dae-jong, an analyst at SK Securities in Seoul, told Xinhua.
"Apple filed a lawsuit against Samsung as foreseen because its potential strongest rival has unveiled competitive products like Galaxy Tab. Apple sought to keep Samsung in check before new models from Samsung are rolled out," Seo Won-seok, an analyst at NH Investment & Securities, said by phone.
"Apple made a pick-off throw to the overall Android-based products, including Galaxy series. Apple had no competition in the tablet market, but Samsung has been going after Apple at the fastest pace, so Apple may feel consciousness of crisis. It means Apple acknowledged Samsung as a powerful competitor," Kim at Samsung Securities said.
