Samsung ordered to stop selling Galaxy Tab 10.1 in US
A California judge ruled Thursday that Samsung can no longer sell its Galaxy Tab 10.1 in the US, based on Apple鈥檚 claims that Samsung violated its iPad patents.
In the meantime, the US District Court of the Northern District of California will continue to inspect Apple鈥檚 patents and compare them to Samsung鈥檚 products, the Associated Press.听
So far, the Tab鈥檚 future doesn鈥檛 look promising 鈥� presiding Judge Lucy Koh Apple 鈥渉as established a strong case on the merits,鈥� deeming the iPad and the Galaxy Tab 10.1 鈥渧irtually indistinguishable.鈥�
Indeed, the latest iPad and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 boast similar sleek industrial designs and functionalities. Both have been built to serve as work- and entertainment-friendly helpers as well as laptop rivals, and it doesn鈥檛 help that they鈥檙e almost the exact same shape and size (the iPad has a 9.7-inch screen, while the Galaxy Tab鈥檚 comes out at 10.1 inches).
Apple argues that 鈥渢he design and appearance of Samsung鈥檚 forthcoming products and packaging are directly relevant to Apple鈥檚 trademark, trade dress, and design claims,鈥� court documents say.
By comparison, tablets like the Kindle Fire and the Nexus 7, which both cost $199, still tend to fall under the eReaders category. The iPad and the Galaxy Tab start at $499.
Judge Koh ordered Apple to post a $2,600,000 bond 鈥渢o secure payment of any damages sustained by defendant if it is later found to have been wrongfully enjoined.鈥�
The two technology giants have been battling it out since April 2011, when Apple filed a alleging that 鈥淪amsung鈥檚 Galaxy cell phones and computer tablets infringe Apple鈥檚 trade dress, trademarks, and design patents.鈥�
With the release of Samsung鈥檚 Galaxy S III 鈥� which some say is also similar to Apple鈥檚 slim iPhone 4S 鈥� the war doesn鈥檛 look like it鈥檒l be over anytime soon.
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