German judge Johanna Brueckner-Hoffman has ruled in Apple’s favor on Friday by banning Samsung from selling its GALAXY Tab 10.1 tablets in Germany. “The court is of the opinion that Apple’s minimalistic design isn’t the only technical solution to make a tablet computer, other designs are possible,” the judge said, noting that the Samsung tablet’s “smooth, simple areas” copy the minimal iPad design Apple has protected in Europe. Samsung still has an opportunity to object Brueckner-Hoffman’s ruling. Read on for more.
A German court originally ruled on August 9th that Samsung could not sell the tablet in all of the European Union except for the Netherlands. On August 16th the ban was lifted and Samsung was simply not allowed to sell the tablet in Germany. On Thursday, Apple sought to ban sales of the Samsung GALAXY S, the GALAXY S II and the GALAXY Tab in Japan and alleged that Samsung’s devices are infringing on its patents. Apple has also blocked Samsung from selling its GALAXY Tab 10.1 in Australia until a court there rules whether or not the tablet infringes on 10 of Apple’s patents.
