Following a series of heated exchanges between iPhone maker Apple and Galaxy series maker Samsung, the UK's Advertising Standards Authority has ruled in Apple's favour, confirming the iPhone 4 is the world's thinnest smartphone.

The dispute between Apple and Samsung arose when Apple continued to advertise its iPhone 4 as the world's thinnest smartphone even after Samsung's Galaxy S2 came out. According to the spec released by Samsung, the Galaxy S2 was thinner, measuring a mere 8.71 mm in thickness, compared to the Apple iPhone which measured in at 9.3 mm.

The dispute escalated after Apple alleged that the Apple iPhone 4 was still thinner technically than the Galaxy S2 as at its thickest point the iPhone 4 was smaller than the S2 which houses a 9.91 mm "hump."

The minor victory over Samsung is the latest in a series of legal disputes between the two companies.

The legal wrangling between the two began in April when Apple mounted a complaint alleging Samsung's Galaxy range of devices "slavishly" copied the designs of Apple's iPhone and iPad devices.

The legal battle escalated when Samsung responded to Apple's attack mounting its own series of patent infringement claims.

The patent-war subsequently spread and prior to the new case in Japan the two companies had both mounted suits in the U.S., Europe, South Korea and Australia.

At the time this article was written Samsung had not responded to requests for comment on the Advertising Standards Authority's ruling.

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