Edible Apple

An interesting development at the IFA trade show in Berlin – apparently Samsung, at the behest of Apple, has pulled its Galaxy Tab 7.7 from its tradeshow booth and from its German-language website.

Florian Mueller has a great recap on the events over at FOSS Patents where he notes that the aforementioned tablet was adorned with a “NOT FOR SALE IN GERMANY” sticker. Apparently, Samsung believed this was sufficient to comply with the recent injunction handed down by a German Court preventing both the sale and the marketing of the Galaxy Tab 10.1.

Then why, pre tell, did Samsung quickly remove all traces of the Galaxy Tab 7.7 from the IFA trade show?

Mueller speculates that Apple either a) obtained a new preliminary injunction against Samsung or b) asked the German court to fine Samsung for going against the current injunction on the grounds that the injunction should also apply to the Galaxy Tab 7.7 on account of its similar appearance to the Galaxy Tab 10.1.

The Düsseldorf regional court will hand a post-hearing decision on the Galaxy Tab 10.1″ injunction on Friday, September 9, 2011. The judge presiding over that case appears to be on Apple’s side anyway, but it wouldn’t be wise for Samsung to bring up that court against it even more by acting in contempt of a preliminary injunction.

Until we all find out what the legal reason for Samsung’s removal of the Galaxy Tab 7.7″ was, it’s difficult to tell what the more likely scenario is. My guess is that Apple obtained a new court decision rather than getting into any argument over whether the existing one applies. German courts can move very quickly with these injunctions.

And below is a before and after shot of Samsung’s display table courtesy of This is My Next. Note the change.