SEOUL, March 12 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics has secured a preliminary injunction against Chinese home appliance maker TCL in a trademark infringement lawsuit in Germany, a ruling that could set a precedent in disputes over alleged "copycat" practices by Chinese companies.
The District Court of Dusseldorf ruled in favor of the South Korean tech giant last month, approximately three months after Samsung initiated legal proceedings in November 2024, according to industry officials on Wednesday.
At the center of the dispute was TCL's "NXTFRAME" television, introduced at IFA 2024, Europe's largest consumer electronics trade show, in September.
Samsung argued that the product name infringed upon its "The Frame" TV trademark, which has been sold in European markets since 2017. In its ruling, the Dusseldorf court asserted that "Frame is not a general shape of a TV, making it difficult to view it as a descriptive trademark that can immediately perceive a TV."
Following the court’s decision, TCL’s German subsidiary has rebranded the product as the A300 in European markets, including Germany and Austria, and has removed the original trademark from both online and offline marketing channels.
While a final verdict in the case is expected in the second half of the year, TCL has already taken precautionary measures.
This case marks the first instance in which Samsung has pursued trademark litigation against a Chinese company over television branding.
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