You may have read in the news that Apple has secured a temporary injunction to stop Samsung selling its Galaxy Tab tablet in Europe – but what we want to know is, what’s it all about?
Sure, as we covered in our Patent Wars article recently, Apple and Samsung are keen to protect their wares and were last seen doing battle with HTC and Osram respectively, as well as with each other.
But now it seems the Apple vs Samsung battle of the patents is really stepping up a gear.
The Galaxy Tab in question is the Tab 10.1 model, the successor to the original Tab device which certainly gave Apple a run for its money. The first Galaxy Tab was second only to the Apple iPad in popularity stakes and was the most popular Android tablet.
However, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 features a 10.1 inch display – whereas the original had a 7 inch screen – and this is where much of the issue lies.
In fact, a judge in Germany has ruled that the iPad and Galaxy Tab are so alike that Samsung shouldn’t be able to sell the Tab in Europe, except in the Netherlands.
The reason for this ruling is to do with the hardware of the two tablets. And to casually glance at the iPad and Galaxy Tab side-by-side, you would be forgiven for muddling the two up.
The shape and size of the two are similar, although the iPad is a little squarer in its design. With a 9.7 inch display, the iPad 2 weighs 601g and measures a slender 8.8mm in depth. Compare this with the Galaxy Tab’s 10.1 inch screen, 599g weight and 10.99mm deep frame and you can see why they are accused of being alike.
The iPad features one single button at the bottom of the display, so you’re likely to hold it in portrait mode – this is a similar layout to the iPhone. The Galaxy Tab has three buttons on its side which controls on/off and volume, and these are accessible whether the tablet is in landscape or portrait mode.
With regard to battery, the iPad has a slight longer battery life but both tablet devices have a similar dock for charging them.
So, undoubtedly there are similarities.
…What now?
The judge’s decision is preliminary so we’ll have to wait and see what happens next – and whether this patent battle is settled in court or by consumers choosing to buy the iPad or Galaxy Tab.
Of course, whatever happens it’ll be interesting to see the effect this has on the two companies’ relationship – after all, Apple is one of Samsung’s biggest customers, paying Samsung for the production of the iPad, and the two companies are involved in various commercial transactions.
And the outcome of the battle of the operating systems will also be worth waiting for, as the iPad runs on Apple’s iOS whereas the Tab on Google’s Android platform.
Time will tell who’ll win this patent battle. But in the meantime, we’d love to hear your views on this matter so please do share your thoughts with us in the comments box below.
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