Earlier today, we informed you of a UK Judge’s decision to force Apple into issuing written clarification on both its website and a British newspaper, stating rival Samsung did not copy design features of its iPad in making the Samsung Galaxy Tab. In a rather predictable next move, the Cupertino company has almost immediately appealed against the ruling, and Apple’s case will be heard by the court of appeal.
Judge Birss, who is currently in charge of the main proceedings, will listen to the appeal. If the ruling is upheld, the sequence of events to follow would certainly be embarrassing from Apple’s point of view. The iPad maker would have to fork out notices in the Daily Mail, Financial Times, Guardian Mobile magazine, T3 (all of which are significant publications here in the UK), along with the Apple.com notice.
There have been plenty of decisions swung either way in the ongoing Apple vs. Samsung debacle, but this one has to go down as one of the most significant. The two electronics giants are currently participating in something of a continental battle, with different countries and judges drawing different conclusions as to whether Samsung has ripped off the iPad with its Galaxy Tab line of devices.
In Germany, for example, the Galaxy Tab saw a temporary ban, yet in Australia, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 was found not to be infringing on any of Apple’s registered patents. Another well-documented case, currently ongoing in the United States, Apple’s preliminary injunction blocking sales of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 still remain, even though the Korean company has appealed to Judge Lucy Koh’s decision.
It will certainly be interesting to see how this one plays out, and although it has become clear different cases, featuring the same underlying issues, can have very different outcomes across the globe, Apple plastering notes everywhere noting of Samsung’s innocence will no doubt hinder progress in subsequent cases.
I certainly hope this is the point where things begin to peter out. Apple has been relentless in its pursuit of both Samsung and Google, but if this decision remains in place after appeal, Tim Cook’s men may see chasing down a deadbeat slate like the Galaxy Tab to be of little use in the long run.
(via SlashGear)
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