Just as UK Galaxy Tab 10.1 ban is lifted, Apple strikes again ..in Japan.
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Apple has applied to Tokyo’s District Court, looking to ban sale of arch rival Samsung’s Galaxy S II smartphone and Galaxy Tab as it furthers its patent claims around the globe, according to Reuters.
Only today, news came of the lifting of the ban of the sale of Galaxy Tab 10.1 in UK, after last week the iPad 2 maker succeeded in getting a ban in several European countries including Germany, UK and Ireland, although it won’t kick in until next month.
This also prevented Galaxy maker from showing off its new Tab 7.7 from the IFA electronics show in Berlin last week, after Apple has won a second injunction blocking the sale there.
In Australia, the Cupertino giant was granted a preliminary ban on the sale of 10.1 version of the Galaxy tablet just last week, until the 26th of September next, forcing the Korean brand to delay the launch of the widely hailed Android Tab here.
Read Apple Tipped To Go After Telstra & Secret 4G Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 Here
The first hearing into the case in Japan was held yesterday, say sources, a country which, incidentally, has recorded remarkably high sales of Samsung Galaxy S II, even outselling the iPhone in first quarter of the year, according to analyst figures.
The case was filed by Apple last month. Four cases, in total, are waiting to be heard in Tokyo District Court, three Apple V Samsung and one from the Korean giant counter suing.
This suggests Apple is getting strategic and is not strictly just bothered about patent violations – the success of the Galaxy S II smartphone, hailed as the best Android Gingerbread mobile on the market has clearly rattled the iPhone creators.
Apple is accusing Samsung of copying the “look and feel” of iPhone and iPad on its Galaxy S 4G, Epic 4G, Nexus S and Galaxy Tab, in a dispute which kicked off in April and has been ongoing since.
Meanwhile Samsung has countersued, in what has become a fierce battle of the OS’s between Apple iOS and Android.
Fellow Android carrier HTC and Motorola, recently bought by Google, are also in legal battle with Apple over alleged patent violations.
The saga continues.
