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US trade panel bans some Samsung phones
August 11, 2013, 5:19 am

The Obama administration has 60 days to review the ruling and can veto [Xinhua]

The Obama administration has 60 days to review the ruling and can veto [Xinhua]

The US International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled on Friday that some of Samsung’s products use technology which infringes on portions of two Apple patents, and ordered a ban on the import, distribution and sale of some of the South Korean company’s mobile devices.

The infringements cover touch-screen technology and the detection of headphone jacks, the ITC, an independent and bipartisan body of the US government, said.

But the ITC did turn down four other patent infringement complaints brought by Apple; the trading body declared its investigation closed.

The ruling delivers a blow to Samsung, whose devices run on Google’s Android operating system since the company launched a global patent war against its major rival Apple in 2010. A year later, Apple filed a complaint alleging smartphones such as Samsung’s Nexus 4G and Galaxy tablets were using its patented technologies.

Samsung has denied Apple’s accusations and said its newer models incorporate features that work around disputed technology.

Both companies have been at loggerheads for dominance of the rapidly growing billion-dollar mobile market. Apple and Samsung products are first and second, respectively, in terms of global mobile device sales.

According to the ITC, Samsung was granted a temporary, albeit 60-day reprieve, during which the Obama administration can review the ruling and veto if it so decides.

For its part, Samsung said that it is disappointed by the ruling but does not expect serious disruption to its marketing strategy.

“We have already taken measures to ensure that all of our products will continue to be available in the United States,” a Samsung spokesman told the media.

“We are disappointed that the ITC has issued an exclusion order based on two of Apple’s patents. However, Apple has been stopped from trying to use its overbroad design patents to achieve a monopoly on rectangles and rounded corners,” Samsung’s Adam Yates said in a statement

Source: Agencies