London - Apple has lost its appeal
against a ruling that cleared rival Samsung of copying its registered designs
for tablet computers, in a decision which could end the two firms' legal
dispute on the subject across Europe.
The world's two leading
smartphone makers are fighting over patents, both for smartphones and for
tablets like Apple's iPad, in courts around the world.
Britain's Court of Appeal on
Thursday upheld the country's High Court judgment that, despite some
similarities, Samsung's Galaxy tablet did not infringe Apple's designs, in part
because its products were “not as cool”.
The decision is valid
throughout Europe and should prohibit further legal disputes between the two companies
over the design of tablets in the region.
South Korea's Samsung welcomed the
decision saying in a statement: “We continue to believe that Apple was not the
first to design a tablet with a rectangular shape and rounded corners”.
Apple declined to comment on
the decision.
The US company has been instructed
to run advertisements saying Samsung did not copy its registered tablet
designs, both on its website and in selected newspapers.
Apple can appeal to the
Supreme Court.
“I expect this will be the
end of the line. An appeal to the Supreme Court is in principle possible but
there has been no indication so far that Apple plan such an appeal”, Darren
Smyth partner at EIP, a specialist intellectual property law firm, told
Reuters.
“For the design of tablets
in Europe this should be the final
word.” - Reuters
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