Dutch court refuses to ban sales of Samsung tablet

THE HAGUE—Dutch appeals judges ruled yesterday that Samsung’s Galaxy Tab tablet is not a copy of Apple’s popular iPad, handing the Korean consumer electronics maker its latest legal victory over its American rival. The Hague Appeals court ruling upheld a lower court’s refusal to grant Apple Inc an injunction banning the sale of Galaxy Tabs in the Netherlands. Apple argued that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and earlier 10.1v model copied the iPad that dominated the tablet market from its 2010 launch. An Apple spokesman didn’t immediately return a telephone call seeking the company’s comment. A call to Samsung was not immediately answered.

Last year, Apple sued Samsung Electronics Co in the United States, alleging its Galaxy devices “slavishly copy” the iPhone and iPad. Samsung fought back with lawsuits of its own, accusing Apple of patent infringement of its wireless telecommunications technology. A Dutch court refused last year to grant Samsung an injunction banning Apple from selling iPhones and iPad tablets in the Netherlands. The civil court in The Hague rejected Samsung's argument that Apple should not be allowed to sell devices such as tablets and smartphones that use 3G mobile technology patented by Samsung because the Cupertino-based company does not have licenses to use the technology.

AP