Apple Rejects Samsung Offer to Settle Australia Tablet Case

Apple has rejected an offer from Samsung to settle their legal battle over the Galaxy tablet, preventing the device again from going on sale in Australia.

Apple accuses Samsung of copying the look and feel of its products, and of violating many of Apple's patents regarding the iPhone and iPad.

Apple charges that Samsung has "slavishly" copied its iDevices, which has resulted in Samsung Galaxy tablets being blocked from sale in Germany and Australia, and some Samsung smartphones are not being sold in the Netherlands.

Samsung was hoping to release the Galaxy Tab in Australia in August, but this was delayed to late September and has been delayed again until a settlement can be reached.

Samsung had hoped to settle quickly with Apple, but Apple refused. "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," Apple lawyer Steve Burley said.

"The decision as to not being available to conduct an early final hearing is no more than a tactical one - a tactical one which is designed to maximise the chances of Samsung launching what we would submit as an infringing product."

To satisfy Apple's legal team, Samsung has removed some features from the Galaxy Tab, and now just one patent dispute remains, involving an Apple patent which deals with how finger movements are used on tablets to generate a software command.

Reuters has reported that a close source has said that Samsung is seeking legal measures to ban sales of the new iPhone, due to be announced by Apple later Tuesday.

A ruling about the claimed patent infringement is due to be heard from a UC court next week.

The two tech firms are suing each other in nine countries over 20 different cases.