The smartphone patent war delivers a tangible victim

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No more Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Europe:

The leading German news agency, dpa, just reported that Apple has been granted a preliminary injunction against Samsung’s Android-based Galaxy Tab 10.1, barring with immediate effect all distribution of the product in the entire European Union except for the Netherlands on the grounds of an alleged infringement of Apple’s iPad-related [European] Community design no. 000181607-0001.

There’s been a lot of talk around patent battles, and while this isn’t strictly a patent, the consumers aren’t going to note the difference, and simply hear “Apple stop Samsung”. I’ve no idea what their reaction beyond that will be, but by the virtue of the size of the two companies and the recognition Samsung already have with the Galaxy Android range, this is going to make a lot more waves than Simon Maddox / Lodsys.

Game on, as they say.