Galaxy Tab 10.1 redesigned to avoid German ban

Back in August Apple changed tactics to try and stop Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 being sold across Europe. Rather than filing a patent lawsuit, they used an industrial design right infringement in the German courts. The design right covers the design of a device rather than the hardware or software features it includes.

The judge upheld the design right infringement, and the Galaxy Tab got banned in Germany, leaving Samsung with stock it couldn’t sell in that country at least.

Rather than giving up on the potential for thousands of sales to German consumers, Samsung has gone back to the drawing board. Next week, a new version of the Galaxy Tab will become available to buy across Germany that does not infringe on the industrial design right of Apple.

Samsung has achieved this with two major changes to the tablet. First of all, the bezel has been redesigned so that the silver metal now wraps around to the front of the device. Second, the speakers have been relocated to the front of the tablet where as before they were on the side.

Samsung is hoping that both changes mean there is no further infringement of the Apple design right. Whether that is the case or not, the updated tablet will be available to purchase next week under its new name of the Galaxy Tab 10.1N.
Below is the front view of the old Galaxy Tab 10.1N with the Galaxy Tab 10.1 below it. As you can see, the main difference users will spot is the silver border around the device.