Apple is prohibited from selling some of their iPhone and iPad models after Samsung won the patent case against them.
The U.S International Trade Commission ordered Apple to stop selling their iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, and iPad 3G last Tuesday for violating the patent rulings. Apple was proven to have copied Samsung’s patent and incorporated it on the three devices mentioned.
Samsung, Apple’s arch rival in the smartphone market which actually produces more units now than the iPad maker, were happy about the result. However, the U.S agency clarified that iPhone 5 and the iPad 4 models are not included in the case.
Apple has now up to 60 days to remove all the devices from their stores unless the U.S president overrules the agency’s decision. The iPad maker announced that they will definitely appeal the case to court.
“We are disappointed that the Commission has overturned an earlier ruling and we plan to appeal,” Apple spokeswoman Kristin Huguet said in an interview with The Washington Post.
The patent issue began when Apple filed a complaint against Samsung duplicating their technology. They won some case but Samsung also filed a patent case against them as well. After the investigation conducted by the agency assigned to handle the case, it turned out that Apple also duplicated Samsung’s technology. This sounds embarrassing but there were strong evidences against Apple.
This's another controversy involving Apple which still has an unsettled billion-worth tax issue and e-book price manipulation antitrust probe. A Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi told in an interview with The Washington Post that this patent issue is more of media hype since the devices involved were outdated. However, this is still an indication that Apple’s innovative direction is slowly fading against Google and Samsung.
Meanwhile, the agency’s decision for banning the old models received criticisms from regulators and lawmakers. They suggested that Apple should pay Samsung for the damages.
