Samsung has won in another round of its long running patent battle with Apple. It could see a ban on sales of the iPhone4 and iPad tablets in the US. However, Apple says the victory won\u2019t affect its business, as those restricted aren’t core products.<\/p>\n
\n
The US key trade regulator \u2014 the International Trade Commission
\n (ITC) \u2014 agreed Apple violated a patent of South Korean
\n rival Samsung. The ITC decided that usage of 3G mobile data
\n links by Apple in its iPhone 4 and 3-G capable iPad 2 infringed
\n Samsung patent rights. The body rejected Apple\u2019s claim that the
\n South Korean company had failed to license the patent on
\n “fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory”<\/i> (FRAND) terms,
\n as is required for standards-essential patents (SEPs).\n <\/p>\n
“We believe the ITC’s final determination has confirmed
\n Apple’s history of free-riding on Samsung’s technological
\n innovations,”<\/i> Samsung said in a statement to the AllThingsD
\n website. “Our decades of research and development in mobile
\n technologies will continue, and we will continue to offer
\n innovative products to consumers in the US.”<\/i>
\n <\/p>\n
\n The iPhone 5 and 4S, as well as iPads released in 2012, are
\n unaffected by the decision.
\n <\/p>\n
\n The Apple devices involved into the case are assembled in China.
\n In case the ITC decision isn\u2019t renounced by US President Obama
\n within 60 days, Apple won\u2019t be able to import the products into
\n the US. \u00a0
\n <\/p>\n
\n The US tech corporation said it was \u2018disappointed\u2019 by the ITC
\n decision and was going to appeal it in federal court. It is the
\n only alternative available to escape the import ban other than
\n appealing directly to President Obama.\n<\/p>\n
\n The ITC decision was announced on the same day President Obama
\n said he planned to overhaul some US patent litigation systems.
\n The key aim of the President\u2019s initiative is to target \u2018patent
\n trolls\u2019. It\u2019s “specifically designed to deal with abusive
\n patent legislation”<\/i> rather than sweeping patent reform, and
\n is, “not designed in any way to pursue legit patent rights
\n holders,”\u00a0<\/i> as a senior Obama administration
\n official told Engadget.\n<\/p>\n
\n Whatever the final outcome, Apple says its business won\u2019t be hurt
\n too much, as most of the models under investigation are more than
\n a year old. This means they are no longer being sold in the US.
\n Among the Apple devices still traded on the US market is iPhone
\n 4, with its sales also set to be folded up during 2013. There is
\n speculation the US tech giant plans to release another iPhone
\n generation, with the new gadget set to be presented this autumn.
\n <\/p>\n
\n Sales of iPhone 4 created about $3.4 billion in revenues in the
\n last quarter, while sales of iPhone 5 that remained untouched by
\n the verdict brought the US company $14.9 billion, The Wall Street
\n Journal said.\n <\/p>\n
The two tech giants have been long been arguing over their share
\n of the highly competitive smartphone market, with the lawsuits
\n underway in 10 countries. In August 2012 Apple managed to win a $1 billion
\n case in another patent battle with Samsung<\/a>.\n <\/p>\n