Although Romania is also among the markets targeted by the selling ban, most retailers who have Galaxy Tab 10.1 for sale have already depleted their stocks, while those who still have it will sell the tablet until their stocks run out.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, running on Google’s Android operating system, was launched worldwide early this summer and is considered the most likely rival of Apple’s iPad. Following a court battle between the two companies, the Samsung tablet was pulled from all European markets, Romania included, following a ruling of a German court.
Officials of Samsung Electronics Romania say the selling of products already distributed to the Romanian market will not be restricted in any way, and that the tablet will continue to be sold until stocks run out.
Between 1,200 and 1,500 Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablets have been imported to Romania so far, according to several market sources. This could mean sales of between RON2.5 million (EUR0.58 million) and RON3.1 million (around EUR0.72 million), considering an average price of RON2,100 (EUR500).
Both Orange and Vodafone, which have Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 in their offer, have already depleted their stocks and, according to employees of the two companies, it is not known if or when they would have the tablet available again. At eMag, the largest IT&C retailer on the Romanian market, the latest generation of Samsung tablets is still in the offer, with the gadget still in stock, according to website information.
The first half of the year saw around 25,000 to 30,000 PC tablets sold on the Romanian market, and the market could reach 60,000 to 70,000 by the end of the year.
On August 25, Samsung will go to court to appeal the decision to ban the South Korean company from selling Galaxy tablets in most European countries.
Apple brought a court case against Samsung in April, saying Galaxy gadgets had copied technologies and design used by Apple to create the iPad tablet and the iPhone smartphones. (EUR1=4.2784)