Apple Wins Nationwide Ban On Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Germany
In a ruling issued today, a Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court has upheld last month’s preliminary injunction, banning the complete sale of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 due to Apple iPad 2 patent infringement. The German court believed the nationwide ban was merited due to the Samsung Tab’s “minimalist and modern design” bearing a strong resemblance to the iPad 2. The Judge who presided over the case explained,
“The court is of the opinion that Apple’s minimalistic design isn’t the only technical solution to make a tablet computer,” Judge Brueckner–Hoffmann explained, “other designs are possible.”
Samsung is extremely upset with the German court ruling and plans to appeal it in a higher court. A spokesperson for Samsung responded with this statement,
“We are disappointed with this ruling and believe it severely limits consumer choice in Germany.”
While the Apple/Samsung patent infringement battle continues to unfold in Germany, it leaves us wondering how long it will take until it spills over into the United States.
