(picture from WebTabLab)

Samsung has certainly had some problems with its Galaxy 10.1 Tab in 2011 due to an aggressive stance from Apple. In a stunning move that shocked the Android community, Apple successfully managed to get the device pulled off the store shelves and banned entirely in Germany. Samsung was forced to go back to the drawing board and make some modifications to the design of the device in order to get it back in stores. While that was a significant battle won for Apple, it seems that they lost the war in Europe today, as a Dutch court has now officially ruled that the Tablet can be sold in the Netherlands and distributed throughout Europe.

To sum up the verdict, the "Gerechthof's-Gravenhage“ appeals court stated that Samsung Tablets did NOT infringe on iPad related patents, giving them no reason to ban sales in Europe. My translation of that: "Apple, you aren't the only ones who allowed to build a lightweight and flat tablet that's shaped like a tablet“.

While this is a great ruling for Android, it unfortunately won't affect the EU wide preliminary injunction against Samsung Galaxy phones that was issued last year. The decision on that is scheduled to be made in around a week, and will ultimately decide if the devices can be sold throughout Europe. We'll keep you up to date when a decision is reached on that.

Samsung responded in a statement saying that the court ruling "again demonstrates that Apple's products simply do not warrant the intellectual property protections it believes."

Ahh yes..the patent wars...**sigh** It's good to see Android gaining momentum in the courts. If Android and it's partners are able to successfully able to fend off these attacks, maybe Apple will at some point consider waving the white flag in it's aggressive against Android.