By Claire Reilly
SYDNEY, NSW: Samsung has gone into damage control this afternoon, following reports of court action undertaken by Apple claiming Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 copied the design of the iPad.
Apple and Samsung Electronics appeared before Justice Annabelle Bennett yesterday afternoon in an interlocutory hearing held at the New South Wales registry of the Federal Court of Australia.
Apple’s director corporate communications Fiona Martin commented on the legal action today.
“It's no coincidence that Samsung's latest products look a lot like the iPhone and iPad, from the shape of the hardware to the user interface and even the packaging,” said Martin.
“This kind of blatant copying is wrong, and we need to protect Apple's intellectual property when companies steal our ideas.”
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In response to the comments from Apple, Samsung Electronics Australia issued a statement later today.
“Apple Inc. filed a complaint with the Federal Court of Australia involving a Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 variant that Samsung Electronics had no plans of selling in Australia,” the statement read. “No injunction was issued by the court and the parties in the case reached a mutual agreement which stipulates that the variant in question will not be sold in Australia.”
“A Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 for the Australian market will be released in the near future."
“This undertaking does not affect any other Samsung smartphone or tablet available in the Australian market or other countries.”
“Samsung will continue to actively defend and protect our intellectual property to ensure our continued innovation and growth in the mobile communication business.”