In case you're unaware, Apple is in the process of suing just about everyone it competes with in the tablet/phone field. There's an abundance of irony in the entire situation - the most substantial of which I covered when Apple complained that Samsung and Motorola were anticompetitive because of their patents  - but things just (at least, temporarily) took a turn for the awesome. A judge in Germany has ruled that 3G-enabled Apple products (including the iPhone, iPhone 3G, 3GS, 4, iPad 3G, and iPad 2 3G, but not specifically the iPhone 4S) infringe on a Motorola patent. Consequently, the judge has issued a preliminary injunction against Apple, resulting in a Europen sales ban on the aforementioned iPhones and iPads.

What's next in the suit? Well, short of Apple changing its products, the company's only real choice is to appeal the decision and request a stay until a final verdict is reach (in other words, they're hoping to put the sales ban on hold until the higher-courts ruling).

For a much more in-depth rundown, check out the full analysis at FOSS Patents below.

[Source: FOSS Patents via ZDNet]