Samsung may be facing another setback in Australia because the Judge overseeing the patent infringement battle between the electronics maker and Apple hinted that she may issue an injunction blocking the sale of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet in the country. A hearing in the case is scheduled for October 3 where Judge Annabelle Bennett said she may issue a brief injunction to give her more time to review the full case, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
Judge considers blocking Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Australia
Samsung agreed to voluntarily delay the launch of its tablet device in Australia until the end of September. Should the Judge issue a temporary injunction, however, the company wouldn’t be able to ramp up advertising and sales until the court says it can.
Apple and Samsung have been locked in a legal battle over patent infringement claims for several months. Both companies have alleged that the other’s mobile devices use patented technologies without proper licensing, and have filed lawsuits against each other in the U.S. and other countries.
A German court recently upheld an injunction blocking the sale of Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet in the country, and the company filed an appeal in hopes of overturning that ruling. Apple was also awarded a temporary injunction through a Dutch court blocking the sale of some Galaxy devices in the European Union.
Judge Bennet is urging Apple and Samsung to step up their preparation for a trial. “Technology moves very quickly,” she said. “It would be in both sides’ interest to have this matter finalized quickly.”