2nd UPDATE: Apple Sues Samsung Electronics Over 'Galaxy' Phone, Tab

Apple Inc. (AAPL) filed a lawsuit claiming Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (005930.SE, SSNHY) copied the look and feel of its popular iPhone smartphones and iPad tablet computers, the latest in a series of legal skirmishes that underscore the increasingly high stakes of the mobile computing market.

The lawsuit, filed on April 15, alleged that Samsung's smartphones, including the "Galaxy S 4G," "Epic 4G," "Nexus S" and its "Galaxy Tab" touchscreen tablet, violate Apple's intellectual property. The 38-page lawsuit was filed in the U.S. court's northern California district.

"Rather than innovate and develop its own technology and a unique Samsung style for its smart phone products and computer tablets, Samsung chose to copy Apple's technology, user interface and innovative style in these infringing products," Apple said in the filing.

A Samsung representative said the company's development of core technology and intellectual property were key to its continued success.

"Samsung will respond actively to this legal action taken against us through appropriate legal measures to protect our intellectual property," said Kim Titus, a Richardson, Texas-based spokesman for the company's telecommunications unit.

The lawsuit is the latest in a series of legal battles among technology giants following the rapid sales growth of smartphones and touchscreen tablet computers. Apple has become the object of many lawsuits from numerous companies, including Eastman Kodak Co. (EK) and Nokia Corp. (NOK), that claim the consumer electronics giant violated their intellectual property in its hit products. The Cupertino, Calif.-based company has also filed lawsuits against competitors, such as Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. (MMI) and Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN).

The lawsuit is likely to complicate the relationship between the two consumer electronics giants. Samsung makes microchips that are used in some Apple products, such as the A4 and A5 processors, as well as memory chips used in the MacBook Pro computer line.

In its suit against Samsung, Apple alleges that in addition to using its technology designs, Samsung also borrowed from its aesthetic. In the lawsuit, Apple displayed side-by-side images of its products and the Samsung equivalents. Apple said Samsung's application icons also borrowed from Apple's design.

Apple said Samsung imitated its packaging, using a square box with metallic silver lettering, among other things. The company said Samsung's Galaxy Tab was "slavishly" copied to incorporate the look and feel of the iPad's software, as well as the device's packaging and the bezel border around the screen.

"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," Apple spokeswoman Kristin Huguet said. "This kind of blatant copying is wrong and we need to protect Apple's intellectual property when companies steal our ideas."

On Monday, Apple shares rose 1.3% to $331.85.

-By Ian Sherr, Dow Jones Newswires; 415-439-6455; ian.sherr@dowjones.com

--Andrew Morse in San Francisco contributed to this report.

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