The ongoing Apple-Samsung legal brouhaha over patent violations took some new twists. An Australian court heard that Apple’s then-CEO Steve Jobs had personally sought to head off a confrontation last year, according to “MarketWatch” (http://macte.ch/Ec1A8). Meanwhile, T-Mobile is opposing Apple’s move to block Samsung from selling some Galaxy products in the US, reports “Reuters” (http://macte.ch/rCkny).
Giving evidence in a federal court hearing to consider a possible injunction preventing Samsung from selling a rival tablet in Australia, senior Apple executive Richard Lutton said Jobs contacted Samsung personally because of the close supplier relationship between the companies, notes “MarketWatch.”
“The discussions started with contact from (Jobs), and then he wasn’t involved in meetings beyond that,” Lutton told the Federal Court in Sydney when cross-examined by Samsung attorney David Catterns.
The case was adjourned to Friday and Justice Annabelle Bennett said she hoped to decide next week whether to block temporarily the launch of Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1. The company had planned to put its device on sale in Australia Friday but said it would wait until a judgment is made.
In related news, according to a court filing, T-Mobile is following Verizon’s lead in trying to block a ban of Galaxy products in the US. Apple has asked a judge to issue an injunction that would prevent Samsung from selling some Galaxy products. A hearing on the injunction request is scheduled for Oct. 13.
An order against Samsung would “unnecessarily harm” T-Mobile and its customers, T-Mobile said in a court filing on Wednesday, according to “Reuters.” “At this late date, T-Mobile could not find comparable replacement products for the 2011 holiday season,” the company argued.
— Dennis Sellers
