Vodafone UK suspends pre-orders for Samsung Galaxy Tab due to Apple injunction

Vodafone is now suspending pre-orders and contacting customers who have already placed orders for Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 due to the injunction recently granted against the device in Germany. The injunction, although granted in Germany, could soon spread to the UK, as it is based on a design right granted the iPad that is valid throughout the entire European Union.

Our sources at Vodafone say that they are aware of the legal proceedings between Apple and Samsung in Germany and plan to update their customers as to the status of their orders as soon as possible.

The preliminary injunction that has been granted prevents Samsung from distributing the Samsung Galaxy Tab in the EU, with fines of $350,000 per infraction and possible jail time for Samsung officers if disregarded. The injunction is the result of an intellectual property suit that Apple brought against Samsung in the German courts.

While the injunction is just an initial move and could be overturned after a motion from Samsung, it is also possible that it may remain in place throughout the trial, which could last over a year. During this time, Samsung would not be able to sell its Galaxy Tab tablet in the EU.

Apple spokesperson Kristin Huguet says that it’s no surprise that the Galaxy Tab looks so much like the iPad and that “this kind of blatant copying is wrong, and we need to protect Apple’s intellectual property when companies steal our ideas.”

Samsung has said that “the request for injunction was filed with no notice to Samsung, and the order was issued without any hearing or presentation of evidence from Samsung,” going on to state, “we will take all necessary measures to ensure Samsung’s innovative mobile communications devices are available to customers in Europe and around the world.”

The EU isn’t the only place that Apple has been taking action against the Samsung Galaxy Tab as it also has legal proceedings against the Galaxy line in the US and Australia. In the case being heard in Australia, which involves patents as well as intellectual property, Samsung has postponed the introduction of the Tab, originally scheduled for later this month.

This is some of the first real-world action we’ve seen about