Apple scored a major win in its legal dispute with Samsung after it secured a preliminary ban on the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Europe. A Dusseldorf court ordered Samsung to stop selling the Android tablet in all European Union countries outside of the Netherlands. Samsung can appeal but will lose at least four weeks of sales before the hearing.
Samsung didn’t comment on the finding. It faces a 250,000 euro ($350,000) fine, or even the jailing of management, for any incident in which it’s found violating the terms of the ban.
The Korean company is already facing a partial restriction until October, but it could be a finishing blow if granted.
Apple has insisted that the Galaxy Tab, as well as the Galaxy S, S II, and other devices, are consciously designed to resemble its own products from the hardware look to the interface. While Samsung has denied the claims in court, it admitted to changing a design after the iPad 2 arrived and mysteriously had a much thinner Galaxy Tab at the CTIA show in March that looked more like Apple’s form
Apple has been hoping to apply pressure across the board and force Samsung into agreeing to pay a settlement before Samsung’s own countersuits can have any effect. While slowing down a major Android competitor is believed to be the real goal, the dispute with Samsung is focusing more on directly imitative elements such as the iPhone-like TouchWiz interface than technology patents.
