Apple’s attempt to block sales of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus smartphone in the US has been successful after a US judge granted a request for a pre-trial sales ban on the Android device, reports Reuters.

The decision was made by US District Judge Lucy Koh, who has overseen a number of decisions between the companies, and said Apple made it clear that an absence of an injunction would mean it could lose “substantial market share” and “substantial downstream sales of future smartphone purchases and tag-along products."

The motion for the injunction was first posted in February and concerned four patents, namely the Siri voice-activated unified search tool, slide-to-unlock, autocorrect and data tapping – which offers users possible information – such as phone number – with just the first few digits entered.

According to Foss Patents, Koh felt Siri qualified as a feature that could drive consumer demand for Apple devices, meaning its infringement could potentially cause irreparable harm to Apple. However, the features related to the other patents were deemed less critical. Apple recently added the Samsung Galaxy SIII to the motion.

A Samsung statement seen by Reuters said the company was disappointed in the decision and will “take all available measures, including legal action” to continue to make the Galaxy Nexus available to consumers.

Apple is required to post a bond of more than US$95 million as a condition of the injunction, to protect Samsung against any losses in the event of the injunction being overturned following the trial. According to Reuters, Koh has scheduled a hearing on Monday to consider putting the Galaxy Nexus injunction on hold, pending appeal.

Koh passed a similar sales injunction for Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet computer last week, after the case was referred back to her by the federal appeals court. Samsung is appealing this decision. 

Apple and Samsung have been engaged in legal action related to design and technology patents around the world since April 2011 when Apple accused the South Korean company of "slavishly" copying its iPhone and iPad designs.