Samsung to resist Apple

SEOUL, South Korea — Samsung Electronics Co. said it will fight Apple’s move to stop U.S. sales of its new Galaxy phone in the latest flare-up of an intellectual property battle between the world’s top smartphone makers.

Samsung said Thursday it will vigorously oppose Apple’s request for a court to ban sales of the Galaxy S III smartphone and still plans to go ahead with the device’s scheduled release in the U.S. on June 21.

The South Korean company said in a statement that it will “demonstrate to the court that the Galaxy S III is innovative and distinctive.”

Last Tuesday, Apple Inc. asked a U.S. district court to temporarily ban sales of the S III smartphone before its launch in the United States. The maker of the iPhone accused Samsung of infringing two Apple patents.

The request, if accepted by the U.S. District Court for Northern California, would deal a blow to Samsung’s attempt to get a headstart on sales of Apple’s next iPhone.

The S III smartphone went on sale in Europe on May 29 and will be offered by around 300 mobile carriers in Asia and North America later this month.

The early launch puts Samsung in a favorable position to take a bigger chunk of the lucrative smartphone market.

While Apple is keeping mum on its annual iPhone upgrade, many analysts expect the new iPhone to go on sale as early as July.

Samsung has become the biggest threat to Apple’s clout in the mobile market as its Galaxy series of smartphones won popularity among consumers seeking an Android-powered device.