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Follow us on FacebookAfter Apple cheered presidential veto, Samsung faces US import ban
@ 2013/08/13Just a week after Apple said it was touched by US president Barack Obama's dedication to stamping out patent trolls - like Samsung - the company is celebrating a ban on Samsung products in the US.
The US International Trade Commission has determined that Samsung infringed on two patents owned by Apple.
Bloomberg reports the patents in question as US Patent No. 7,479,949, which relates to a touch screen and user interface, and US Patent No. 7,912,501 which deals with detecting when a headset is connected.
The ITC said that while Samsung didn’t infringe on the other two patents, unless Obama steps in and blocks the ban, some Samsung goods will be refused an import licence.
Last week’s ruling in favour of Apple was the only one issued by a President since 1987. Statistically speaking it is unlikely to happen, but Obama is understood to be cross about the ITC being used by patent trolls. Critics saw the move as US protectionism.
At the time, an Apple spokesperson said: "We applaud the Administration for standing up for innovation in this landmark case. Samsung was wrong to abuse the patent system in this way."
If Obama does not block this ban he runs the risk of only allowing American patent trolls like Apple to exist. He would find himself angering South Korea and spurring talk of illegal trade bans.
The US International Trade Commission has determined that Samsung infringed on two patents owned by Apple.
Bloomberg reports the patents in question as US Patent No. 7,479,949, which relates to a touch screen and user interface, and US Patent No. 7,912,501 which deals with detecting when a headset is connected.
The ITC said that while Samsung didn’t infringe on the other two patents, unless Obama steps in and blocks the ban, some Samsung goods will be refused an import licence.
Last week’s ruling in favour of Apple was the only one issued by a President since 1987. Statistically speaking it is unlikely to happen, but Obama is understood to be cross about the ITC being used by patent trolls. Critics saw the move as US protectionism.
At the time, an Apple spokesperson said: "We applaud the Administration for standing up for innovation in this landmark case. Samsung was wrong to abuse the patent system in this way."
If Obama does not block this ban he runs the risk of only allowing American patent trolls like Apple to exist. He would find himself angering South Korea and spurring talk of illegal trade bans.
