Samsung Galaxy injunction restricted to Germany
European injunction awarded to Apple over patent infrigment eased by German court
The injunction preventing Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 devices from being sold in Europe has been restricted to Germany, Bloomberg reports.
Apple was awarded an injunction against Samsung last week, on the grounds that its Galaxy tablet device infringed on an intellectual and design patent.
"It's no coincidence that Samsung's latest products look a lot like the iPhone and iPad, from the shape of the hardware to the user interface and even the packaging," said Apple spokeswoman Kristin Huget at the time.
Initially, the injunction applied across Europe - except for the Netherlands - but the German court has decided to introduce limits on its "enforceability."
"There are doubts whether a German court has so a wide a jurisdiction over a company based in Korea," said German court spokesman Peter Schuetz.
Apple has engaged in patent disputes with several smartphone manufacturers that use Google's Android operating system, including HTC and Motorola.
Google's recent $12.5 billion acquisition of Motorola was motivated by the company's extensive library of patents. Shortly after the deal was announced, Google CEO Larry Page published a blog post that accused Apple of "anti-competitive patent attacks."
Both the original injunction and the partial reprieve are temporary measures. The Dusseldorf Regional Court has scheduled a full hearing for 25 August, with a final decision expected within three weeks of that date.