Samsung alters Galaxy Tab design to avoid German sales ban

Samsung said on Thursday that it will soon launch a redesigned version of its Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet in Germany as early as this week.

Galaxy Tab 10.1n (top), Galaxy Tab 10.1 (top) -- (Source: CNET)

In a bid to avoid a sales ban on the tablet, imposed by a German court after it ruled that the tablet violated Apple's design patents relating to the iPad, the physical design of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 has changed enough that Samsung hopes will circumvent the ban in the country.

But Samsung still has a courtroom full of faces to appease, as well as Apple's lawyers who will have to agree to the design changes for it to then go on sale.

Now known as the Galaxy Tab 10.1n, the new design includes a different frame to remove the iPad-like backing from the device, and changes the location of the speaker, a spokesperson said.

"We modified the model to reflect Apple's claims", they added, hinting at an admission.

Both Apple and Samsung have been engaged in a global legal battle since April, when Apple sued Samsung in the U.S., claiming that the Korean electronics giant copied "slavishly" its iPhone smartphone and iPad tablet.

While Samsung went on to "vehemently defend" itself against Apple's claims, it also filed suits in a number of jurisdictions to sue Apple for allegedly infringing its patents on its products.

But Samsung received the short-end of the stick a number of times, when it was forced to redesign its smartphones to get around temporary sales injunctions on devices that were found to violate others' patents.

Earlier this month, the European Commission said it was looking into antitrust matters relating to Samsung, in particular to how the company conducts itself in regards to filing alleged patent infringement claims.

Though the Commission said it was "standard procedure" to do so, it is believed that Europe's upper house took the decision to look at Samsung of its own volition, instead of waiting for a third-party company to make a claim.

Related:

• CNET UK: Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1n: new look aims to overturn ban
• Samsung ramps up Apple fight: Now seeks ban in Australia, Japan
• Samsung to fight back against Apple in Australia; Seeking iPhone 5 ban in Korea
• Apple rides out German sales injunction; Online stores open as usual
• Samsung's Galaxy Tab banned by German court: Pulled from IFA tech show
• Europe antitrust authorities investigating Samsung’s patent claims against Apple