Apple has won a preliminary injunction from a court in The Hague blocking the distribution of Samsung smartphones in the Netherlands and Europe. The court blocked trade in the Samsung Galaxy S, S II and Ace smartphones due to concerns they may infringe an Apple patent on browsing a photo gallery (EP 2,058,868). The judge rejected Apple's other claims alleging infringement of two other patents, registered designs and copyright and Samsung's alleged 'slavish' imitation of Apple iPhone and iPad devices. The alleged infringement also targeted Samsung's Galaxy Tab tablet PCs, which were earlier the subject of similar injunctions issued by German and Australian courts at Apple's request. The infringement allegations must still be judged in a full court hearing. The injunction applies from mid-October to distribution by the Korean company in the Netherlands as well as distribution of the phones by any Netherlands-based subsidiaries in several European countries where the patent is valid. According to Samsung, these include the UK, Germany, Finland, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Sweden and Switzerland. However, the company does not expect sales in Europe to be disrupted and said it will take legal steps to ensure that sales in the Netherlands also continue.
