As part of the ongoing Apple vs Samsung litigation, German courts have once again upheld the preliminary injunction granted Apple which prohibits Samsung from selling the Galaxy Tab 10.1 -- perhaps all Galaxy Tab products -- in Germany. Samsung can appeal the decision, and Apple could owe them damages for lost sales if it's eventually overturned. Otherwise, according to FOSS Patents it looks like Apple competitors are going to need to visually differentiate their tablets from the iPad if they want to sell them in Germany, and perhaps elsewhere.
Only Samsung is bound by today's decision. However, the asserted Community design has a rather broad scope, a fact that the judge also confirmed at the August 25 hearing. Unless and until someone achieves its invalidation (Samsung is trying, and so is a small German company named Jay-tech), this intellectual property right (IPR) is deemed valid by the Düsseldorf Regional Court and Apple could easily obtain preliminary injunctions against other products infringing that design right, provided that Apple discovers new products and files a complaint within a few weeks of becoming aware of them.
Maybe those handles from back in the Tablet PC days could come back into fashion?
