Samsung Australia, who are currently in a legal fight with LG Electronics over their passive 3D TV technology, could find themselves fronting a new legal fight with Apple after the US Company moved to block sales of the Korean Companies tablets in Australia.
Apple has made an application to the Federal Court in Sydney in an effort to block Samsung from selling the newest version of their 10.1″ Galaxy tablet in Australia, Apple has even gone as far as demanding that Samsung ship their entire stock back to Asia.
The case is before Justice Annabelle Bennett, who is the same judge who dismissed the Channel Nine copyright case against Ice TV.
Lawyers for Apple have told Justice Bennett that the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 infringes 10 Apple patents, including the “look and feel,” and touchscreen technology of the iPad.
Steven Burley, a lawyer for Apple, told the Federal Court he had been instructed to seek an injunction to stop Samsung from selling the tablet in Australia. The product was due to be launched to the Australian media on August 11th 2011.
Senior executives from Samsung Australia have told ChannelNews that a meeting is set to be held today to decide whether the August 11th launch will be cancelled.
Neil Murray acting for Samsung Australia told the Federal Court that Apple is basing their claim on a U.S. version of the Galaxy tablet, which is different from the one that will be sold in Australia.
He said that his client was prepared to supply a sample of the Australian version of the Galaxy Tab to Apple prior to the product being launched in Australia.
He said that Samsung was doing this in an effort to give Apple the opportunity to determine whether they had a case in Australia.
Bloomberg claim that the dispute between the companies began in April when Apple sued Samsung in the US, claiming the Galaxy products “slavishly” imitated the designs and technologies used for its iPad and iPhone. Samsung, which supplies memory chips for Apple, retaliated with lawsuits in South Korea, Japan, Germany and the U.S.
Apple lawyers claim that the Australian injunction is necessary because Samsung has had “announcements of an imminent launch of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 device ongoing since July 20,” Burley said today.
Samsung will provide the Australian version to Apple before it’s released for sale to let it determine if it wants to pursue the case, Murray said.
Samsung’s Murray said it will be “at least a couple of weeks” before the Tab 10.1 goes on sale in Australia.
