Galaxy Tab too Similar to iPad, German Court Decides

CREDIT: Samsung

In a decision that could have an affect on Galaxy Tab sales the world over, a German court ruled that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 looks too much like Apple's iPad.

The lawsuits between Apple and Samsung have been going on since April, but in August, Apple won a European Union wide ban on the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Germany. Thanks to jurisdiction concerns, the ban ended up being lifted for most of Europe due to concerns regarding jurisdiction.

According to Bloomberg, Judge Brueckner-Hofmann said that even the "informed customer" might get the impression that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 looks just like Apple's iPad. "The court is of the opinion that Apple’s minimalistic design isn’t the only technical solution to make a tablet computer, other designs are possible."

The court based its decision on a design that Apple filed with the European Union intellectual property agency in Alicante, Spain. While the decision doesn't bar the Galaxy Tab from being sold elsewhere in Europe , the decision could provide support for Apple in the lawsuits they have going on elsewhere in Europe and in the United States.

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