Samsung delay is 'Jobs tribute'

Samsung has postponed the launch of its Nexus Prime smartphone as a mark of respect to Steve Jobs. The company said it would be the wrong time to introduce the device while the world was still paying tribute to the Apple co-founder, who died last week. It had planned to unveil the Nexus Prime in San Diego on 11 October. Samsung enjoys a close relationship with Apple, as one of its component suppliers. However, the firms are also suing each other for patent violations. Courts in 10 countries have been asked to adjudicate an apparently tit-for-tat series of intellectual property claims. Each company has accused the other of using their patented technology, without paying to license it. In addition Apple has also accused Samsung of copying the overall look and feel of its iPad tablet, in its Galaxy Tab 10.1. To date, the US company has fared best in court: The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is currently banned from sale in Germany. A ban on sales of Samsung smartphones is due to come into effect in the Netherlands in October. Samsung has postponed its tablet launch plans in Australia while its legal battle there is ongoing. A ruling is expected this week in the Australian row and is also due shortly in the US where Apple is suing Samsung. Prime candidate Samsung's Nexus Prime is the latest in a series of smartphones produced by the Korean company, running Google's Android operating system. It will be the first commercially available device to run the new version of Android known as Ice Cream Sandwich. The open-source platform has proved hugely successful for Samsung, which is now second only to Apple in the global smartphone race. According to data from Nielsen, in August 2011, Apple held 19.25 of the market, while Samsung handsets accounted for 16.2%. Despite the fierce competition, both on the high street and in the courts, Samsung makes a great deal of money from Apple, supplying parts for many of its devices, including screens for its smartphones and tablets. The two companies are said to have agreed a components deal in February worth $7.8bn (£5bn).