Obama vetoes ITC ban on older AT&T-compatible iPhones and iPads (update: Samsung responds)
Remember that ITC ban on the import, sale and distribution of some AT&T-compatible iPhone 3G, 3GS, 4, iPad 3G and iPad 2 3G models Samsung won in June? The Obama administration has officially vetoed the ruling. A letter issued to Irving A. Williamson, Chairman of the U.S. International Trade Commission ITC, explains that the decision considers the ban's "effect on competitive conditions in the U.S. economy and the effect on U.S. consumers." If you'll recall, the case focused on patent 7,706,348 for encoding mobile communications, which Samsung claimed the aforementioned devices infringed upon. The administration notes that despite his decision on the ruling, Samsung will still be able to "pursue its rights through the courts" (i.e. monetary compensation, etc.). In a statement to All Things Digital, an Apple representative notes:
We applaud the Administration for standing up for innovation in this landmark case. Samsung was wrong to abuse the patent system in this way.
You can peruse the full four-page memo for yourself at the source link.
Update: Courtesy of 9to5Mac, here's Samsung's response:
We are disappointed that the U.S. Trade Representative has decided to set aside the exclusion order issued by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC). The ITC's decision correctly recognized that Samsung has been negotiating in good faith and that Apple remains unwilling to take a license.
