Some of the Samsung’s older smartphones and tablets could be banned in the US in the wake of a decision by the US Trade Representative to uphold the ban as the devices violate Apple’s patented technologies.
US Trade Representative Michael Froman dismissed the South Korean smartphone maker’s effort to overturn a ruling by the US International Trade Commission (ITC) in August to bar some older Samsung smartphones and tablets for infringing Apple’s patents.
"After carefully weighing policy considerations, including the impact on consumers and competition, advice from agencies and information from interested parties, I have decided to allow the Commission’s determination . . . to become final," Froman said.
In spite of the ban, AT&T anticipated continuing selling Samsung products.
AT&T spokesman Marty Richter said: "This decision will not affect our ability to provide the latest Samsung devices."
In August 2013, US President Obama overturned another ITC ruling which called for a ban on older Apple products by issuing the first presidential veto for 26 years on an ITC issue.
A Samsung spokesperson said that the company is disappointed by the US Trade Representative’s decision to allow the exclusion order issued by the US ITC.
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"It will serve only to reduce competition and limit choice for the American consumer," spokesperson added.
In August 2013, the US ITC banned the sale and import of some Samsung products after a lawsuit found that the South Korean firm infringed two Apple patents for touchscreen actions and headphone jack plug-ins.
Despite capturing the top two positions in the global smartphone market, Samsung and Apple are involved in several patent issues across several countries vying for market share in the lucrative mobile market.
However, in August 2012, Apple had won about $1.051bn in a landmark patent suit, which claimed to be one of the biggest patent cases in decades, against Samsung.
