Ruling on Apple-Samsung spat in Australia coming next week?
Reuters says the Australian court will decide the fate of Apple's request for a preliminary injunction sometime next week, though the exact day is currently unknown.
Apple will need to wait until Monday at the very earliest to hear whether its request for a preliminary injunction against Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 will be granted in Australia, a new report claims.
According to Reuters, Judge Annabelle Bennett promised a quick decision on the case after lawyers for Apple and Samsung completed their arguments in the Australian federal court earlier this week. Although the attorneys expected a decision today, it appears now that Bennett will use the weekend before making a final determination on the matter.
Apple and Samsung have been locked in a bitter patent battle in Australia for months now. Apple claims that Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet copies its iPad, and therefore, should not be allowed for sale in Australia. For its part, Samsung has argued that its device does not violate patents and, earlier this month, countersued Apple in Australia, saying that the iPhone and iPad violate wireless patents it holds.
At different points throughout the case, it appeared that the companies were making some progress in coming to an agreement. Last month, Samsung said it would agree to provide Apple with three versions of its tablet, and whichever was approved by the iPad maker would be sold in Australia. However, Samsung quickly took that off the table to launch its countersuit.
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Last week, tensions between the companies appeared to once again ease when Samsung offered Apple a deal with undisclosed terms that would allow it to sell its Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Australia before the crucial holiday-shopping season. Apple attorney Stephen Burley at the time appeared willing to accept a deal, saying that "(Samsung's) inconvenience would be diminished and [Apple] would be comforted" by an agreement.
However, earlier this week, Apple rejected the agreement, saying that its decision shouldn't have come as a surprise to anyone.
"It is one we don't accept and there is no surprise," Burley said of the deal. "The main reason we are here is to prevent the launch and maintain the status quo."
Apple's decision to not accept a deal may have something to do with its success elsewhere around the world. Last month, Apple was awarded an injunction against the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Germany that prevents the sale of the tablet in that country.
Neither Apple nor Samsung immediately responded to CNET's request for comment.