November 17, 2011, 4:55 AM — Samsung Electronics will launch a modified version of its Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Germany next week, after sales of the original were banned by a German court for violating Apple's design rights for the iPad.
The company has not yet decided on the exact launch date for the modified tablet, Samsung spokesman Jose Suh said on Thursday, but the new device, the Galaxy Tab 10.1N, has already appeared for sale on the websites of German retailers. Webs-shop has a 16GB model in white, while EP MediaStore has a 32GB Wi-Fi model in black, and IM Superstore the 64GB Wi-Fi model.
The new versions of the tablet will only go on sale in Germany, said Samsung spokesman Nam Ki Yung. The new version moves the speakers from the side of the device to the front, and modifies the design of the bezel so that silver is visible, he said.
Yung emphasized that the design was made in response to the German legal authorities, and not to Apple's claims of patent infringement.
In September, the district court in Düsseldorf ruled that Samsung must not sell the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Germany because of its similar appearance to Apple's iPad 2, the design of which is registered with the E.U.'s Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market. The Korean electronics giant has appealed the decision.
Samsung is involved in legal battles with Apple in Europe, Asia and North America over patents related to their phones and tablets.
