Samsung ran into more trouble in Europe today after a judge in The Hague granted Apple a preliminary injunction that banned sales of the Galaxy S, S II and Ace in the Netherlands.
The ban will stay in effect until Oct. 13 and does not affect Galaxy Tab models, according to an official statement from The Hague.
The judge ruled that the three Samsung devices violated Apple patent EP 2,058,868, which covers a method of scrolling and a browsing gallery.
The judge also found that Samsung had not infringed on Apple patents EP 2,098,948 and EP 1,964,022, which cover technology for multiple screen taps used on Android devices and a method of unlocking a portable device from its touchscreen.
The Netherlands ruling comes just weeks after a German court granted a preliminary injunction against the sale of Samsung devices in many European Union countries. The ban was later scaled down and only went into effect in Germany.
A final ruling on the German patent case is expected to come down within a few weeks of another hearing on the matter, scheduled for tomorrow.
Apple’s patent infringement fight against Samsung’s popular Android devices spans the globe, with complaints filed in the United States, Europe and Australia. Samsung has fought back with complaints and countersuits in the United States, Japan, South Korea and Germany.
Apple claims Samsung’s Galaxy devices “slavishly copy” its iPad and iPhone models.
The ongoing legal battles between the companies could strain their business relations. Apple’s products use components made by Samsung, including chips and LCD displays.
Filed Under: Industry regulations
