Apple ordered to run Samsung ads
Apple has been ordered by a UK judge to publish advertisements in British newspapers and on its UK website stating that Samsung did not copy its design for the iPad, according to a report.
Judge Colin Birss ruled in the UK high court earlier this month in a patent suit between the two companies that the Samsung Galaxy Tab is “not cool enough” to be mistaken for an iPad. Apple was looking to block sales of the Galaxy Tab in the UK, claiming the South Korean company had infringed its design patents.
After the verdict, Judge Birss said Apple must pay for advertisements in the Guardian, Daily Mail, Financial Times and T3 magazine to draw attention to the case and alert customers that Samsung did not copy its designs, according to news agency Bloomberg, which has seen a draft copy of the order provided by Samsung’s lawyers.
The company must also put a notice on its website for at least six months – essentially publishing free advertising for Samsung’s tablet on its own product pages.
Judge Birss, however, refused Samsung’s request that Apple be banned from repeating its claim that its design patents have been fringed, saying “they are entitled to their opinion”.
Apple declined to comment on the judge’s decision.
Samsung says in a statement: “Should Apple continue to make excessive legal claims based on such generic designs, innovation in the industry could be harmed and consumer choice unduly limited.”
The tablet patent war between Apple and Samsung has been brewing for some time, with the former company bringing suits against its rival across the world.
Sales of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 have been banned in the US, ahead of a trial on 30 July to decide on another design patent dispute.
Samsung was required to redesign its Galaxy Tab in order for the tablet to go back on sale in Germany as a result of one such case last year.
