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)
(한글요약)
(긴급) 애플 삼성전자 호주 판매금지 가처분 소송 제기
애플이 삼성전자의 갤럭시탭 10.1의 호주 판매를 금지해 달라고 호주 법원에 가처분을 요청했다.
애플 변호사인 스티븐 벌리는 이번 소송에서 삼성이 아이패드의 외형과 느낌, 터치스크린 기술 등 애플의 지적재산권 10건을 침해했다고 주장했다
애플은 이미 지난 1일 미국 지방법원 캘리포니아 법원에 삼성전자의 스마트 기기 4종에 대해 미국내 판매금지 가처분 소송을 제기한 바 있다. 해당 제품은 삼성전자의 미국 내 출시 스마트폰인 인퓨즈(Infuse) 4G, 갤럭시 S 4G, 드로이드 차지(Droid Charge)와 태블릿PC인 갤럭시탭 10.1이다.
삼성전자 역시 애플의 해외 생산 제품에 대해 미국 내 수입을 금지해달라는 요청을 ITC에 요청한 바 있다.