Samsung will launch altered Galaxy Tab to avoid German ban

KOREAN HARDWARE GIANT Samsung has revealed that it will release a modified version of its Galaxy Tab 10.1 to avoid the ban on selling it in Germany.

It's been three months since Apple won a preliminary injunction preventing Samsung from selling its Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Germany and still the battle continues. The company will release a modified version of the tablet this week in time for the Christmas shopping season, according to the Wall Street Journal.

"The newly modified device will be renamed the Galaxy Tab 10.1N and we've made two changes to the design," said Samsung spokesman Jason Kim. "The design of the bezel has been changed and the speaker has also been relocated."

Samsung used this same strategy in Australia last month to get its tablet on the shelves. However, the offer was firmly rejected by Apple, so Samsung will be hoping these changes will be enough to sort out the situation.

The fresh version of the Android powered tablet is already on German retailers' web sites such as Web-shop and IM Superstore.

The news is just one of many episodes in a long-running and bitter rivalry between the two electronics firms that both want to see their tablet come out on top, even if it requires legal action.

Somehow we doubt that Apple will see Samsung's small changes as enough to mean its tablet is no longer "slavishly" copying the Ipad 2. µ