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Apple scores victory in Australia blocking Samsung

In an ongoing global tablet patent war between Apple and Samsung it looks as though Apple has scored a victory on that battleground by getting the Federal Court to block Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 Tablet. What is interesting is the basis in which the Australian Court used to block the Galaxy Tablet. In an Apple statement they claimed that the Galaxy Tablet 10.1 looked to closely like the iPad and “could be confusing to consumers”. However, it was Apple patents pertaining to touchscreen and multi-touch technology that the Aussie Court blocked the Samsung Tablet:

The Federal Court has granted Apple an injunction to block tech rival Samsung from selling its Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Australia.

Apple is suing Samsung for patent infringement, arguing the firm "slavishly" copied its market-leading iPad tablet.

Justice Annabelle Bennett today said Apple had a prima facie case that Samsung had infringed two of its patents relating to touch screens and the gestures that control them.

Samsung, who is currently fighting Apple Patent suits in Europe, has had the Samsung Galaxy S II blocked in over 30 European countries and also have had the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 banned in Germany.

There were reports that Steve Job’s himself had tried to curb some of these patent disputes before his death, but obviously they were ineffective as Apple has not relented from the all out assault on other mobile technology manufacturers. Even though I think it is well within anyone’s right to protect their interests regarding intellectual property, these patent suits will do nothing but inflate product costs and stifle innovation. There will always be the patent trolls looking to score a buck with frivolous lawsuits, but the escalation of these patent lawsuits between major manufacturers are not helping anyone, and at this point I cannot justify Apple’s claim that Samsung’s tablet could be confusing to customers. I have not personally run into anyone interested in buy a tablet that bought an Galaxy Tab 10.1 because it looked like an iPad.

Let us know what you think, leave a rant or side with who you think is right.

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