The Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 has been banned from being sold in Europe, following a ruling in a German court. That’s certainly not good news for Samsung, nor is it good news for Google, who is trying to gain ground in the tablet market with its Android operating system.
Apple announced yesterday that it sold 17 million iPads last quarter.
The ruling came as the result of an Apple win in a patent battle with Samsung. CNET shares a statement from Samsung, saying it’s “disappointed with the court’s ruling” and it “will continue…to protect our intellectual property rights and defend against Apple’s claims to ensure our products remain available to consumers throughout the European Union”.
Slate put together this video report about the ordeal:
The ban applies to all 27 member states of the European Union, and marks a very significant blow for the product, and for Android. Apparently the Galaxy Tab 10.1 can still be sold, as its design is different enough from the iPad to avoid such a ban. The court just didn’t feel the same way about the Galaxy Tab 7.7.
It’s certainly a bigger blow to Samsung that it is to Google, as Android is available on plenty of other tablets, but having more choices for Android is what has gotten the operating system where it is today. Not having to rely one specific device, and being available for a multitude of feature sets and price ranges has been key for Android’s increased market share.
Samsung touts the Galaxy Tab 7.7 as the world’s first tablet to feature “the brilliant Super AMOLED Plus display”.