Despite several setbacks here in the States that led to at least one product ban, Samsung saw a small victory in its patents war with Apple on Monday.
Over in the UK, British High Court Judge Colin Birss ruled that Samsung's Galaxy Tab Android-powered tablets definitely belonged in the same family as Apple's iPad when viewed from the front. But when the Galaxy Tabs are compared to Apple's gadget from the side, it's "very thin, almost insubstantial members of that family with unusual details on the back."
In fact, the judge indicated that Samsung's tablets just aren't as "cool," and therefore no infringement is taking place. Was that comment insulting to Samsung? Probably. Will the company take what it can get at this point? Most definitely.
"They do not have the same understated and extreme simplicity which is possessed by the Apple design. They are not as cool," Judge Birss said. "The overall impression produced is different."
Naturally Apple wasn't pleased with the verdict, as it still insists that Samsung is violating several of its patents. The company wouldn't offer a statement regarding Monday's ruling either, but provided its stance on Samsung instead.
"It's no coincidence that Samsung's latest products look a lot like the iPhone and iPad, from the shape of the hardware to the user interface and even the packaging," the company said. "This kind of blatant copying is wrong and, as we've said many times before, we need to protect Apple's intellectual properties when companies steal our ideas."
The two companies have been disputing over Android-related patents for many years across ten countries. Currently Samsung is banned from selling the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 here in the States, but on Friday the company was given the green light to continue the sales of its new Galaxy Nexus smartphone for the immediate future.
"Should Apple continue to make excessive legal claims in other countries based on such generic designs, innovation in the industry could be harmed and consumer choice unduly limited," Samsung said in a statement.