Apple wins Netherlands Samsung Galaxy ban

A Dutch court has ruled Samsung's Galaxy devices running Android versions 2.2.1 to 3.0 infringe an Apple patent and has banned their sale in the Netherlands. The Hague ruled Wednesday Samsung, in some of its Galaxy smartphones and tablets, infringed an Apple patent relating to the way Samsung's devices scroll through a photo gallery, theinquirer.net reported. The court has ordered the South Korean phone maker to pay damages to Apple based on how much profit it has made from the devices in question, a ruling Samsung said it would resist. "We remain confident that our products are unique, and we will continue to take all available measures to protect consumer choice in the Netherlands," the company told The Inquirer. "Samsung is disappointed with the court's ruling. Apple has been trying to limit consumer choice and discourage innovation through their excessive and flawed legal arguments." To avoid a sales ban on its newer devices, Samsung had tweaked the photo gallery feature on its latest Galaxy smartphones, so the Netherlands ban will likely affect only older Samsung devices.