German Court Favors Apple, Bars Sale of Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Europe
Apple has won a major victory in its legal battle over IP with Samsung, with a German court having issued a preliminary injunction blocking the sale of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Europe.
The tablet PC, which recently went on sale in the UK, is immediately required to be removed from store shelves, and Samsung must cease marketing the device, a competitor to the iPad 2. Valid across all of Europe besides the Netherlands, the Regional Court of Düsseldorf’s ban carries the weight of law, including maximum fines of $350,000 and possible jail time for each violation throughout the European Union.
Pointing towards possible infringement of Apple’s patents, with elements of the iPad 2 allegedly copied in the Galaxy Tab 10.1’s design, Samsung has the right to appeal the judgment. But until due process occurs, which may take weeks or months, the injunction remains in effect, to the detriment of Samsung’s bottom line and the competing device.