Skip to main content

Europe’s ban on Samsung Galaxy Tab lifted, for now

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10-1 screen angle right
Image used with permission by copyright holder

A German court has partially lifted the preliminary injunction against Samsung that prevented the South Korea-based company from legally distributing its Galaxy Tab 10.1 throughout all European Union countries, except Germany.

The ban on the Galaxy Tab was first put in place earlier this month after Apple filed an lawsuit against Samsung. The move was part of the ongoing battle between the two companies over whether Samsung unlawfully copied Apple’s design of the iPad tablet to create the Galaxy Tab, along with other similar patent disputes.

According to Dutch website Webwereld, which was first to report the news, Germany’s Dusseldorf District Court that issued the interim lift on the ban will have a formal hearing on August 25 to decide whether or not to fully reinstate the injunction.

The court’s decision to suspend the preliminary injunction comes just hours after it was revealed (also by Webwereld) that Apple may have doctored evidence submitted the court that was intended to show the similarities between the iPad and the Tab 10.1.

In its filing, Apple submitted photos that make it appear as though the iPad and Galaxay Tab 10.1 are the same size. Problem is, the iPad and Tab have entirely different sized screens with different aspect ratios (4:3 vs 16:9, respectively).

According to respected patent expert Florian Mueller, who has kept a constant finger on the pulse of Apple’s patent battles, the DUsseldorf court did not mention Apple’s potentially flawed evidence as part of its reasoning behind lifting the injunction. “Therefore, the question of whether Apple’s evidence was suitable or not has, at least in a formal sense, not played a role in this decision on a suspension,” Mueller writes on his blog.

The real reason for the ban lift, says Mueller, may be because the German court cannot impose an injunction on Samsung as a whole, as it is a South Korean corporation. Instead, it only has jurisdiction over Samsung’s German subsidiary, Both the German subsidiary and its parent company, Samsung, are mentioned in Apple’s lawsuit.

Apple has also successfully held up sales of the Galaxy Tab in Australia with claims that the company violated 10 of its patents. The Tab remains unavailable in that country.

Editors' Recommendations

Andrew Couts
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Features Editor for Digital Trends, Andrew Couts covers a wide swath of consumer technology topics, with particular focus on…
8 products on sale now that won’t be cheaper on Prime Day 2020
Amazon Prime Day packages

Can't wait for Prime Day 2020 to begin? If you're looking for great deals, you can start now! We've tracked down eight products on sale that we just can't see being any cheaper on the big day. All these products are the latest technology and some are only a couple of weeks old, so seeing discounts on them already is a big deal. If you're worried that something might end up cheaper on Prime Day, you can always order it now, avoid opening the item, then return it for a full refund after buying it for less on Prime Day. Honestly though? We can't see this happening. Snap up these great deals today while there's still stock.
Fitbit Charge 3 -- $100, was $150

With a huge price cut of $50, the Fitbit Charge 3 is perfect if you've been eyeing activity trackers but couldn't make up your mind. This wristband will monitor everything from the daily steps you make, the calories you burn, as well as your heart rate every step of the day. It's swim-proof and water-resistant so you won't have to worry about taking it off at the gym or in the water, plus you can choose for it to track over 15 different forms of exercise, depending on how you love to work up a sweat. It also tracks how well you're sleeping. Reduced to just $100, this is the ideal time to jump on board the Fitbit train.

Read more
Need a cheap tablet for school? iPad 10.2 now down to only $310
iPad 10.2-inch hero

Everyone knows that the best computer for a student returning to school is a laptop. But what if that’s no longer true? With the advancement in tablet capabilities, as well as their accessories, tablets can now do much, if not all, of the work a laptop could, at a fraction of the size and price. One of the models at the top of the heap is the Apple iPad 10.2, which is currently on sale for just $310 at Amazon, that’s $19 off the regular price of $329. It’s not a massive discount, but it’s one that should not be ignored, especially when you see what an iPad can do.

Something important to consider before buying any machine for back to school -- where will you be using it? With laptops, the wisdom used to be that you also go for the one with the most storage space -- that it was always worth the extra money. But most campuses and homes now have high-speed Wi-Fi, connecting us with our cloud storage options, making that advantage more of an albatross, in terms of price. Simultaneously, accessories for tables, especially those for iPad -- like the Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil have made it so that, functionally, your tablet can serve as a laptop, and more, at a moment’s notice. In fact, be sure to check our our recommendations for the best cases for the iPad 10.2.

Read more
Samsung’s Galaxy Book Flex brings beautiful QLED displays to laptops
Samsung Galaxy Book Flex

Samsung's laptops have always felt underwhelming. The company is on the bleeding edge of televisions and smartphones, yet its laptops often lag behind the competition.

The new Galaxy Book Flex aims to change that. It's the first laptop to use Samsung's patented QLED display technology, bringing its quantum dot goodness into the fold. That's compelling. Samsung's CF791 has long been our favorite curved monitor, and mostly thanks to its incredible QLED screen.
Say hello to QLED
QLED or OLED? It's been a debate in the TV world for years. But now, the rivalry has come to laptops with the Galaxy Book Flex, hoping to battle against the wave of new OLED laptops hitting the shelves.

Read more