Apple seeks to block Samsung Electronics from selling tablet in Australia

Apple Inc. escalated its legal dispute against Samsung Electronics Co. by requesting an Australian court to block the South Korean company from selling the newest version of its tablet computer in the country.

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 in Sydney today. The Cupertino, California-based company is seeking an Australian injunction and also wants to stop Samsung from selling the tablet in other countries, Burley said without specifying where. 

A Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Tab is displayed at its a showroom of the headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, April 19, 2011. Apple Inc. has sued Samsung Electronics Co., saying the South Korean company's Galaxy line of smartphones and tablet computers copy Apple's popular iPad and iPhone.(AP-Yonhap News)

The dispute between the companies began in April when Apple sued Samsung in the U.S., 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.

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.

Apple is basing today’s claim on a U.S. version of the Galaxy tablet, which is different from the one that will be sold in Australia, Samsung’s lawyer Neil Murray 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.  (Bloomberg)