Apple suit may delay Samsung tablet launch

The Federal Court in Sydney has granted an injunction preventing the release of the device, according to a report by Bloomberg.

Apple sued Samsung in Australia, saying the company's Galaxy Tab 10.1 infringes upon 10 Apple patents, Bloomberg said, adding that Samsung has also agreed to stop advertising the tablet in Australia and will not sell the device until it receives court approval.

The injunction on the sale of the Galaxy tablet cannot be lifted without agreement from Apple and likely will not be lifted until after the next hearing set for Aug. 29, according to Bloomberg.

Samsung will provide Apple three samples of a new Australian version of the tablet at least seven days before it starts distributing it so the US company can review it, Bloomberg said, citing Australian court documents.

The original Australia launch date was Aug. 11, although a Samsung spokesman in Seoul said the Aug. 11 was not a finalised launching date.

"It is true that Apple filed an injunction, but the move will not affect our (Galaxy Tab) sales," he said.

The legal battle between the two companies has been building since April when Apple sued Samsung in US federal court in California. Apple alleges the South Korean company's Galaxy line of mobile phones and tablets "slavishly" copies the iPhone and iPad.

Apple is also suing Samsung in several other countries, including South Korea, for patent infringement.

The deal to delay the tablet's launch was reached by lawyers during a break in a hearing in the case. The deal includes an agreement that Apple will pay unspecified damages to Samsung if its loses the patent infringement lawsuit, Bloomberg said.

Samsung's Galaxy products use Google's Android operating system, which directly competes with Apple's mobile software.

The case is Apple Inc. v. Samsung Electronics Co. NSD1243/2011. Federal Court of Australia (Sydney).