July 3, 2026, 11:33 am | Read time: 3 minutes
At many schools, tablets have become an integral part of the curriculum. They are used for assignments, teaching materials, and the central management of devices. The choice of tablets a school purchases is therefore not just a technical decision. In Datteln, this very question has now ended up in court. Samsung is taking action against the city because it wants to continue using iPads for new devices.
Reorder Leads to Legal Dispute
The trigger for the proceedings is a planned reorder of tablets. In Datteln, several hundred devices need to be replaced or additionally purchased to maintain the schools’ digital equipment. Currently, more than 2,700 iPads are in use there. Many date back to the COVID-19 period. The city wants to stick with this system because the teaching, apps, administration, and device management are already aligned with it. In their view, switching to Android devices would only be possible if the entire digital school environment were rebuilt.
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Court to Decide on Complaint
Samsung considers the approach problematic. The company wants to ensure that public contracts do not automatically go to Apple. The city, on the other hand, points to its existing infrastructure with iPads. Initially, Datteln was favored by the Westphalia Procurement Chamber. Samsung then filed a complaint. Now, the Higher Regional Court of Düsseldorf is handling the case. A decision is expected in September.
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As reported by WDR, attorney Arndt Kempgens believes it is possible that the legal dispute could eventually reach the European Court of Justice. In his view, German law tends to support cities continuing to use Apple tablets. However, since it also involves new public contracts, it could lead to a landmark decision for the ECJ.
Schools Await New Devices
The proceedings have already had concrete consequences for the schools. According to available information, no new tablets will be purchased in Datteln for the time being. As a result, more than 600 students are waiting for devices. The city also cannot proceed with the procurement at its own risk. If it loses the legal dispute, the contract may have to be reversed. Subsequently, a new procurement clarification would be necessary. This would further delay the purchase and extend the waiting time for the schools.
The legal dispute is significant not only for Datteln. According to WDR, more than 54,000 iPads are in use in Duisburg, around 74,000 in Essen, and even 86,000 in Dortmund. Therefore, other municipalities are also closely following the proceedings. For them, it is about whether an already established digital school environment can be given more consideration in a reorder than open competition. This will determine whether existing tablet inventories can continue to be supplemented relatively easily or whether each new procurement must be more extensively justified.