Samsung thanks Apple for free Galaxy Tab advertising

KOREAN ELECTRONICS GIANT Samsung has thanked Apple for the free advertising for its Galaxy Tab created by the legal disputes between the companies.

Tyler McGee, VP of telecommunications at Samsung Australia, said that Apple had made Samsung's tablet computer "a household name", which the firm believes is more than it could have managed with its marketing alone, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

This ironic twist of fate means that instead of slowing Samsung down and keeping its products off the market, Apple has inadvertently created a lot of buzz for those devices, which is now paying off with high demand as the Galaxy Tab returns to shop shelves in Australia.

Samsung has shipped a significant volume of tablets to Australia in time for the 16 December launch, perfect timing for the busy Christmas shopping period. However, McGee warned that demand is higher than supply, suggesting that there will be shortages of the device.

Apple initially secured a preliminary injunction that banned the sale of the 10.1in version of the Galaxy Tab in Australia, but this ban was lifted last week. Further patent lawsuits are pending in other countries around the world.

Samsung will sell its Galaxy Tab 16GB models for between A$579 and A$729, depending on whether the user wants WiFi or WiFi and 3G. Apple sells its 16GB Ipad 2 in Australia for a similar A$579, making Samsung's tablet a direct competitor in terms of price. Generally speaking Android users tend to be more reluctant to fork over lots of cash for their devices compared to Apple users, but the hype surrounding the Galaxy Tab could play to its favour.

Samsung is also planning to release a 7.7in Galaxy Tab by the end of the year, and an 8.9in tablet within the first three months of 2012. µ