The battle down under has been a long drawn one for Apple and Samsung. After a spate of suing and countersuing and even attempts of mutually resolving the issue failed, Samsung was finally banned in the land of the kangaroos.
Though it tried to circumvent the ban and launch the tab with slight modifications of the design the trick didn’t work out for Samsung. And it wasn’t only Australia, Apple had them banned in Germany, resulting in a ban in the EU as well. These ban on sales in various countries have almost killed the sales of the Galaxy tab 10.1 . And as Neil Young, Samsung’s lawyer puts it; it might even ring the death knell for the tab.
Samsung had last month filed an appeal in the Australian court to overturn the verdict given by Justice Anabelle Bennett in favor of Apple banning the sales of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Australia. Interestingly, the Appeals Judge has spoken in favor of Samsung stating that the ban was not terribly fair on Samsung. So finally it looks like Samsung had some relief coming their way and the tab can finally be on sale in the Australian market for the Christmas shopping season.
Though, any celebrations from the Samsung camp might be a little premature considering the fact that Apple has filed an appeal in the high Court within minutes of the verdict given by the Australian Federal Court.
Moreover, they have requested the court to keep the injunction in place until the appeal which the court has agreed to. In response to the same Samsung has filed certain patent complaints against Apple’s iPhone and iPad devices which is set for hearing by Justice Bennett in march 2012.