Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1N to defend against Apple in Germany

by Alistair Lowe on 17 November 2011, 11:26

Tags: Samsung (005935.KS), Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL)

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Three months on from Apple's victory, winning it a preliminary injunction to ban the sale of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Germany, Samsung has announced that it will release the new Galaxy Tab 10.1N this week, just in time for the festive shopping season, with the tablet already available on German retailer websites.

The Galaxy Tab 10.1N will feature two, laughably small changes; change number one, the shape of the bezel has been adjusted, change number two, the speaker has been relocated. It will be highly interesting to discover if Apple is able to block the sale of the new tablet or not. If a block is successful, Samsung will have just gambled away a not unsubstantial amount of money and resources; on the other-hand, if Samsung is able to continue selling the product in a merry old fashion, it would both highlight how silly these design-patent wars have become, with Apple clutching at straws the average consumer wouldn't even notice and set a precedent for this tactic to be used elsewhere around the world.

 

Image courtesy of macgasm.net

HEXUS Forums :: 5 Comments

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Posted by crossy - Thu 17 Nov 2011 12:09
Not that I've got an axe to grind, (I'm quite happy with my Asus), but I think Apple may have done Samsung a little favour - personally I like the looks of the 10.1N (the top picture) better than the original model. That metal band just “works” visually for me. :thumbsup:
It will be highly interesting to discover if Apple is able to block the sale of the new tablet or not.
I'm willing to bet that they'll try. However, I'd kind of argue that Samsung have taken steps to visually separate their device from the iPad, so may the onus is on Apple to demonstrate that they have genuine grievance, not just “we want the tablet market to ourselves”.

That said, I always believed that the large “Samsung” logo at the bottom was a hint that the Galaxy wasn't an iPad. ;)
Posted by Brewster0101 - Thu 17 Nov 2011 13:55
I bet Apple and the corrupt court will try and ban this too. maybe they will claim a pattern infringement because Samsung have put a A on the front which could be mistaken for a for apple..
Posted by 3dcandy - Thu 17 Nov 2011 14:16
If this works Apple will be screwed, because Samsung will have effectively won with a fairly simple design change…which in my mind would be the right thing as otherwise the customer will be the one losing out…
Posted by Grey M@a - Thu 17 Nov 2011 14:39
Can be a bit of a double edged sword this one as on one hand Samsung have changed what was brought up in the patent case and the other side of it is they sort of admitted there were similarities and they changed to get around it.

Either way though the patent system is a mess that it would even allow a “look” to be considered an invention.
Posted by crossy - Thu 17 Nov 2011 16:42
Grey M@a;2183814
Either way though the patent system is a mess that it would even allow a “look” to be considered an invention.
Wonder if Apple's German lawyers would be available for another case - after all, Brad Pitt resembles me*, so I can obviously sue him!

(* I wish!)

Joking aside, I don't mind folks patenting a look, just as long as it's something non-trivial and readily recognisable, distinctive and innovative. Didn't think Apple's “squarish device with a button” counted.