Google Can Resume Sale of Galaxy Nexus For Now

Samsung has won an immediate stay on the Galaxy Nexus injunction, but the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is still banned in the States.

Bloomberg reports that Samsung Electronics and Google can resume sales of the recently-banned Galaxy Nexus smartphone at least until next week. The U.S. Court of Appeals issued a temporary stay of the ban on the smartphone on Friday until Apple responds on July 12 by 5 p.m. Eastern. Notice of the order was posted on the court's website.

The news arrives after Google pushed out a quick patch that addresses the patent infringement issue relating to universal search. Apple claimed this feature -- just one out of four -- violates U.S. Patent 8,086,604 which covers unified search functionality. Now instead of searching multiple sources, the phone can only search the internet.

As for the Galaxy Tab 10.1, the appeals court's Motions Panel denied the immediate stay request for the Galaxy Tab 10.1 without further comment, thus the gadget remains banned in the States. Apple has been ordered to respond to the federal motions to stay by July 12 at 12 p.m. Eastern.

After the two gadgets were banned last week, Samsung appealed the preliminary injunctions to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. It also asked Judge Lucy Koh to stay both injunctions pending appeal or, in the alternative, until the Federal Circuit decides on a stay. Judge Koh denied both motions on Monday and Tuesday.

However on Friday morning, Samsung asked the Federal Circuit for immediate stays for both injunctions pending the Federal Circuit's decision on a stay pending appeal. As indicated, Samsung was denied the tablet stay, but is now allowed to sell the smartphone until Apple's response next week.

Currently the Galaxy Nexus is still listed as "coming soon" on Google Play.