Apple rebuffs Samsung’s overtures to settle patent dispute in Australia

Technology giant Apple and Samsung Electronics have failed to settle their intellectual property dispute over tablet computer in Australia, which could make it nearly impossible for the South Korean company to launch its new Galaxy tablet by Christmas in that country.

In order to launch its new Galaxy tablet in Australia, Samsung offered to negotiate with Apple to secure a quick ruling at the Federal Court in Sydney, but the Cupertino, California-based company rebuffed the overtures.

Apple yesterday told the court that Samsung's proposal provided no basis for a settlement.

"It is one we don't accept and there is no surprise. The main reason we are here is to prevent the launch and maintain the status quo," said Apple lawyer Steven Burley. 

The delay could the new Galaxy tablet "commercially dead" in Australia, said Samsung's attorney Neil Young, as the tablet would be on the shelves for the crucial pre-Christmas sales season. "Our product would be kept out of the market for the Christmas period and into next year," Young said. "Therefore, that product would be dead."

Apple had in early August prevented Samsung from launching its new Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Australia and had forced the South Korean firm to withdraw the product from the IFA consumer-electronics show in Berlin last month.