An Australian court has ruled that Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 does not infringe on patents held by Apple, clearing the way for the product to go on sale in the Australian market. In October Apple was granted  a temporary injunction that stopped Samsung from selling the unit in Australia.

This most recent ruling is just another twist in a bitter and protracted battle between Apple and Samsung that began in April this year in the US, when Apple claimed that its Korean competitor had “chosen to slavishly copy Apple’s innovative technology, distinctive user interfaces, and elegant and distinctive product and packaging design, in violation of Apple’s valuable intellectual property rights.”

Apple has since pursued Samsung through the courts in a number of different markets.

But Samsung may not yet get access to the potentially lucrative Christmas sales period in Australia as Apple has indicated its intention to appeal the court’s latest decision.