Apple Fails To Get Motorola Xoom Tablet Banned In Europe

A court in Germany has thrown out an attempt by Apple to get the Motorola Xoom tablet banned from sale in Europe.

In fact, you'd be hard pressed to find one to buy now...it was launched last year and notched up miserable sales figures.

Apple initially sued Motorola for allegedly infringing three iPad designs with the Xoom. It sought to have the device banned across Europe.

Although the judges ruled Motorola's Xoom doesn't infringe on the iPad, the court rejected a counterclaim brought by Motorola alleging the iPad's design patent is invalid, a spokesman for the court said.

As the court ultimately rejected both parties' claims, it ordered Apple to pay two-thirds of costs and Motorola to pay a third, the spokesman added.

Neither Apple nor Motorola immediately responded to an emailed request for comment.

During two hearings prior to the ruling, the presiding judge had indicated the court was leaning in Motorola's favor. Judge Johanna Brueckner-Hofmann said in March that the court considered the evenly bent back and shaped edges on the front of the Xoom tablet sufficient to give the product individual character.

(Via: NASDAQ)