Samsung and Apple are rowing over the design of Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 being too close to iPad 2 in courts across 20 countries in North America, Europe and Asia. While proceedings go on, at least one country, Germany, has been deprived of the 10inch Honeycomb tab that’s iPad 2′s closest competitor.
A while back, Apple applied for an injunction to stop sales of Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 across Europe. While the German court awarded the right to Apple temporarily, it at least limited the ban to Germany alone. Last week, Samsung tried to change the court’s decision but failed. However, they plan to appeal the ruling this week, according to Samsung spokesman Kevin Jeong.
The Apple versus Samsung saga is getting to be a pain now. Since Samsung can’t even market its tablet on German soil, even Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 was quickly pulled back after a quick unveiling at IFA, Berlin. That’s another tablet we’re exciting about and it would be too bad if Apple manages to keep this one away from fans in Germany too.
Back in July, Samsung got on the offensive in France and filed a complaint against Apple over infringement of three mobile related patents in relation to iPhone 3G, 3GS, and 4, as well as iPad and iPad 2. The patents focus on UMTS technology related to high-speed data transfer. The first hearing is in December. Knowing how terribly vague and all-comprehensive patents can be, this one isn’t going to end anytime soon either.
For Apple’s design patents, Samsung has filed a rebuttal in a US court system that Apple’s tablet design is actually based on prior art (2001: A Space Odyssey).
It’s hard to say who wins or loses here. Companies or customers? It’s ok to protect your property but the Samsung Apple war has begun to stink of egotism and fear of competition.
[via techcrunch]
