Apple rejects Samsung deal in Oz patent dispute

Apple has seemingly rejected Samsung's recent offer of a settlement deal to get the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 on to Australia's shop shelves.

Update: Apple has now formally rejected the deal offer, with attorney Steven Burley saying, "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."

Samsung's lawyers now contend that a truce "is not going to be achievable... given the positions advanced by each party." The case rumbles on.

The deal, which Samsung put forward late last week, was dealt with by lawyers in the courtroom yesterday.

Neil Young, Samsung's attorney, told the court, "No agreement has been reached. The parties are a considerable distance apart."

Do you come from a land down under?

In response, Apple's attorney, Steven Burley, denied that the fruity company had rejected Samsung's offer. He claimed that correspondence between the two companies "were requests for details, not a rejection of the offer".

But it doesn't sound good – Burley went on to describe Samsung's deal as, "No more than a tactic to maximise the chances of Samsung launching what we would contend is an infringing product."

Cake break

He also said that the deal was offered "To ensure that Your Honour is placed in as difficult a position as possible.

"It's the desire of Samsung to have their cake and eat it too."

The terms of the deal that Samsung offered Apple have not been made public, but it seems that Samsung is pretty keen to get out of the courtroom and on to the shop floor.

The ongoing litigation between the two companies has stopped Samsung from launching the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Australia due to Apple's accusation of the slate infringing on some of its iPad patents.

From WSJ