After being banned from selling and promoting its Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Germany because of its court fight with Apple, Samsung can sell the Android-based tablet as usual through retailers. The company can also replenish its stock, but it's way trickier than just ordering from other Samsung subsidiaries located outside Germany, as suggested by several popular Android blogs. According to FOSS Patent's Florian Mueller, "Samsung's Korean parent company has to respect the preliminary injunction with respect to the German market." In other words, Samsung cannot directly supply the device to German retailers, even from subsidiaries not named as defendants in the lawsuit. Also, the Korean electronic giant can't sell the device to retailers outside Germany if it knows that they'll be eventually be imported to and sold in Germany. The situation is also tricky for Apple. The iPad maker can technically extend the injunction it obtained to retailers, but they'd be hitting the same retailers who distribute its gadgets in the country. While the sale of Galaxy Tab 10.1 could technically continue, the court action has created much trouble for Samsung and its retailers. They have to wonder if it's still worth the effort to slip the Samsung tablets into the country and upset Apple at the same time. If they shy away from carrying the device, Apple indeed won big, notes OSNews. At the end of the day, it's the German consumers who've lost here. And with Samsung and Apple engaging in legal battles around the globe -- including the U.S., United Kingdom, France, Italy, The Netherlands, Japan, South Korea and Australia -- our German friends will soon be accompanied by their neighbors. Photo credit: Yat Fai Ooi