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Apple Blocks Sale of Galaxy Tab 10.1 In Australia

lukehopewell1 writes "Apple has obtained an injunction from an Australian court effectively blocking the sale of the new Android Honeycomb-powered Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1v. Apple Australia claims that the unit infringes on 10 of the Cupertino, California-based company's patents including the slide to unlock functionality as well as the edge-bounce feature. Samsung will provide Apple Australia with three units for study in coming weeks to ascertain whether or not the Korean gadget maker did in fact infringe on Apple's patented intellectual property."

21 of 316 comments (clear)

  1. Add "on a mobile computing device" to anything! by mykos · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Old is new once again!

    I am fully confident that this thread will demonstrate the utmost civility of Slashdot users.

  2. Looks like Apple is starting to feel threatened. by Kenja · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Guess these new Adroid tablets may be worth taking a look at if they have Apple this scared. Course they could just be a bunch of jerks... hard to tell these days.

    --

    "Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
  3. Really? by YodasEvilTwin · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It's blocked UNTIL Apple can prove they infringed? Australia, crushing due process harder than the U.S. since 1994.

    1. Re:Really? by rust627 · · Score: 5, Informative

      Australia, enforcing US Patents and copyrights harder than the U.S. since 1994.

      Fixed it for you.

      Since an earlier Australian Government signed a 'free trade agreement' Australia has been in the interesting position of having to enforce US Patents and Copyright Laws above and beyond our own.

      Plus the 'free trade agreement' between our 2 countries means that US companies (and individuals) are free to pretty much do as they wish here, but we are still considered to be foreigners and subject to all the various tariffs and import restrictions as any other country in the US.

      --
      da da da dum indeed.
  4. Re:Sounds like it's the one to buy then by syousef · · Score: 3, Funny

    Thanks for the review Apple!

    Yeah thanks Apple, and here's a brick for that walled garden. I bet you know just where to stick it, but so that you don't infringe on any patents, be sure to stick it SIDEWAYS.

    --
    These posts express my own personal views, not those of my employer
  5. Re:Sounds like it's the one to buy then by Dr+Max · · Score: 3, Insightful

    If you can't do better then sue better.

    --
    Rocket Surgeon.
  6. The world needs patent reform by ShakaUVM · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Seriously, if "Slide to Lock" deserves a patent, someone in the USPTO should be hit over the head with a hammer. Repeatedly.

    1. Re:The world needs patent reform by Urkki · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Seriously, if "Slide to Lock" deserves a patent, someone in the USPTO should be hit over the head with a hammer. Repeatedly.

      I think this may have already happened. It would explain a lot.

  7. Non-Aussies probably wont understand this by mjwx · · Score: 3, Funny

    Apple's legal counsel Christian Dimitriadis

    Said the Ipad 2 was "fooly sikh" and that Apple "wants if fuckin money fuckin".

    Meanwhile

    Samsung's legal counsel Neil Murray

    Said that Apple was being a "wuss and should harden up" and that their counsel was a "flamin galah" stating that this case was "a few tinny's short of a six pack". He also commented elected to inform apple on "where to stuff ya bloody law suit".

    --
    Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
  8. Re:Yes, I need to see this Galaxy Tab then by mgiuca · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Samsung are clearly infringing on Apple's right to be the only tablet device manufacturer. Just like IBM should rightly have been the only computer manufacturer.

  9. Re:Looks like Apple is starting to feel threatened by mjwx · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Yeah, that's Apple being scared. It's definitely not your wishful thinking projecting emotions onto a business decision.

    They're trying to block the entry of a competitor via the legal system as opposed to competing with them once the product is released.

    That is not a business decision, that's an admission they cannot compete.

    --
    Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
  10. Re:Sounds like it's the one to buy then by Max+Littlemore · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Samsung didn't copy Apple any more than Apple copied a whole bunch of previous products. Samsung has definitely improved on what Apple has done and that is why Apple is feeling threatened.

    I have both an iPhone4 and a Galaxy S. The Galaxy S running Android 2.3.4, which is what the SGS II ships with, looks and feels very different to the iPhone. It also provides a much more useful tool than the iPhone in that you can send files over bluetooth, use it as a mass storage device without needing iTunes, watch flash videos, etc etc. Apple knows this and they are scared.

    --
    I don't therefore I'm not.
  11. Re:Sounds like it's the one to buy then by oztiks · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Yeah, talk about feeding the beast.

    Galaxy Tab is sooo good even Apple's tried to stop its release!

  12. Re:Sounds like it's the one to buy then by myurr · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Copying doesn't preclude improving upon, so that isn't what Samsung is accused of. Plus the two patents mentioned are for trivial UX features that are hardly ground breaking innovation in and of themselves.

    Part of the reason that people are venting at Apple in this case is because yet again we see the absurdity of the patent and legal systems ably demonstrated by what is a pretty lame lawsuit (we think this product may infringe our patents, so ban all imports and give us full access so we can decide if this is actually the case or not - i.e. they're not even saying that it definitely infringes). I mean seriously, how on earth is sliding your finger across the screen to unlock the device something so amazingly innovative that Apple should be able to patent it?!

    Another big part of the reason is that instead of competing by producing a better product and letting the market decide, Apple are increasingly hiding behind their lawyers. Their response to Android in general has been to sue rather than to find a better way to compete in the open market place. They could produce better devices, a wider range of devices, they could release the OS and allow other manufacturers to build iDevices, they could choose to specialise in various niches, they could try and revolutionise another market sector, etc. They have chosen to do absolutely none of those things, despite the end consumer benefitting from any and all of them, instead releasing relatively minor incremental updates to the same products and attempting to use the legal system to wipe out the competition.

    The average consumer never benefits when a single manufacturer focussed on the premium end of the market is given free reign of entire classes of device. As a consumer, even an Apple fanboi (if you are one), you should be cheering on the competition knowing that it means more people will find the ideal device for them and that the competition will push all the manufacturers to keep improving their products at a far faster rate than if one company maintains a monopoly.

  13. Re:Looks like Apple is starting to feel threatened by mjwx · · Score: 3, Insightful

    That is not a business decision, that's an admission they cannot compete.

    Because Sumsung's Android gear has been selling so well they've decided to no longer report the numbers, to ...um... not make anyone jealous. You can see why Apple might be shaking in their boots.

    Could you have found a more biased site. They readily admit they are paid by Apple. Besides that proves nothing. If Apple isn't scared, why are they trying to get the courts to prevent Samsung from selling a much demanded competing product. Sorry if this shatters your fanboyish delusions.

    --
    Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
  14. Re:Looks like Apple is starting to feel threatened by SmallFurryCreature · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Who makes the screens in the iPad? Who is begging who to please supply them with more screens?

    I think Apple is scared, that it might not be getting the next generation of screens if Samsung has need for it themselves. If Samsung can make more money selling tablets then selling screens, Apple is screwed because Samsung is currently in the lead in the screen market especially oled.

    Also, this isn't just about tablets, iPhone sales are lower then Android sales and Samsung sells a lot of Android phones.

    Apple is trying to get rid of the competition. Same as MS did with IE and we all know how that worked out for browser users. Apple without competition would be as boring in its line-up as MS.

    --

    MMO Quests are like orgasms:

    You may solo them, I prefer them in a group.

  15. Apple is getting real worried by Sycraft-fu · · Score: 4, Insightful

    They've had a massive rise in profitability that anyone who isn't stuck in a cave can't have missed. However, what some people don't seem to realize is it has almost entirely been in a new market, consumer electronics, not their computer division. Their computer sales have gone up, but not near to the levels of their consumer electronics and only after the CE products made them a name.

    So if they want to keep that profitability, and all companies want that, they have to keep that market.

    For a time, no problem. It started with the iPod which became a fashion accessory. People didn't get MP3 players, they got iPods. It was what was cool to have and nobody could compete because nobody else could make an iPod. Well that market is pretty saturated these days. People don't buy new MP3 players all the time, and the iPod fashion has faded a bit (though it is still strong). So while it makes them money, it doesn't make them money like it used to.

    Enter the iPhone and now iPad. The iPhone did great because it captured a new part of the smartphone market: casual users. Other smartphones were very business oriented, the iPhone was for consumers who wanted a toy. The iPad of course went in to a new market entirely, since tablets like it really aren't competition for full out tablet PCs.

    All is well and Apple makes billions... However Android is a real threat to that. It has become extremely good and has been eating away at the iPhone market (and everyone else's). The tablet market was safe, but now it is entering there. It has a ways to go but is getting better at a rapid pace, Google improves it very quickly.

    Apple is seeing their consumer electronics markets evaporate, turn in to regular commodity markets where you have to compete on price which Apple has never done well. This won't kill Apple, but it could seriously shrink them and companies view that as just as bad.

    So they have to attack and try and stop it, in any way they can.

    I just hope they don't succeed. I don't want a world where only one company can provide certain kinds of technology. Competition is nearly always good for the consumer.

  16. Re:Sounds like it's the one to buy then by Dr+Max · · Score: 3, Insightful

    We cry "hey apple, why can't you do better?" because that is exactly what we want. We don't want to see them defeat the competition with a legal department over the fact they both unlock the screen similarly (which in honeycomb isn't slide to the left to unlock its slide in any direction from a certain distance). We want to see them bring a superior product to market, and you should want that too. You don't see the car industry fighting like this instead they embrace competition and race each other, then the technology from the race cars makes its way into our cars. I'm not sure but I don't think any one blocks competitors car imports because they used the same slightly slopping down bonnet, hump in the middle with four doors and a flat boot or the same placement and use of a horn; how hard would cars be drive if they all had to have a unique interface.

    --
    Rocket Surgeon.
  17. Re:...and...? by LynnwoodRooster · · Score: 4, Informative

    I love it how ACs come in here and try to re-write history.

    It's not just ACs that "rewrite history"; I was using SPB Mobile Shell with widgets and grids of icons on a Samsung 830w back in Feb 2007 - well before the iPhone was released. Worked great, too - configurable, easy access, and even had a slide-out keyboard similar to the Blackberry phones.

    As far as I can tell and remember, the iPhone was little more than a pretty feature phone - no apps (I was a regular user of Handango back then, plenty of apps for the WM platform), no Exchange support, no cut-and-paste, no multitasking, little more than what most LG and Samsung and Nokia feature phones offered. And considerably less functionality than the Symbian and Windows Mobile smartphones offered.

    But it looked pretty, and Apple is great at marketing...

    --
    Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
  18. Re:Looks like Apple is starting to feel threatened by CharlyFoxtrot · · Score: 3, Informative

    Who makes the screens in the iPad? Who is begging who to please supply them with more screens?

    Multiple sources according to CNET : "Industry online paper DigiTimes is also reporting that Chimei Innolux will also help in producing screen replacement units for iPads along with LG Display and Samsung Electronics."

    I think Apple is scared, that it might not be getting the next generation of screens if Samsung has need for it themselves. If Samsung can make more money selling tablets then selling screens, Apple is screwed because Samsung is currently in the lead in the screen market especially oled.

    Apple doesn't use OLED screens, Samsung so far hasn't proven itself in the tablet market unlike in the smartphone market and even there it can't touch Apple's volume. Doesn't seem so scary to me.

    Also, this isn't just about tablets, iPhone sales are lower then Android sales and Samsung sells a lot of Android phones.

    Apple is trying to get rid of the competition. Same as MS did with IE and we all know how that worked out for browser users. Apple without competition would be as boring in its line-up as MS.

    I'll agree the gloves are definitely off and no punches are being pulled but it's no use blaming the player for the rules of the game. Patent reform is the only thing that will end this once and for all.

    --
    If all else fails, immortality can always be assured by spectacular error.
  19. Re:Sounds like it's the one to buy then by pieterh · · Score: 4, Funny

    No, no, no, that's a Troll. A proper Fanboi would go like this: "Apple make fantastic gadgets. They really know how to design the user experience. Samsung are just copycats, one step up from KIRFers."

    And an Astroturfer would say, "While I'm a Samsung user, and I love their products, I have to side with Apple on this one. Samsung did, after all, copy the iPad in many ways, and you have to give it to Apple, they're the only real innovators in terms of UI and technology."