A California judge has now granted motions to add Apple"s iPhone 5 and Samsung"s Galaxy S3 to a patent infringement suit between the mobile giants.

The two companies are embroiled in patent lawsuits in 10 countries and have accused each other of stealing design and technology.

Samsung was ordered by a US jury in August to pay Apple $1.05 billion in damages for illegally copying iPhone and iPad features for its flagship Galaxy S smartphones.

It has appealed the ruling.