Earlier this year, President Obama expressed his intention to combat patent wars. In what could be his first step towards doing it, he vetoed Samsung’s Patent ban on select Apple Products like iPhone 4 and the iPad 2 issued by the ITC back in June. The case was about cellular data patent Samsung had held and claimed Apple’s iPhone 4 and iPad, iPad 2 cellular versions to be infringing. The newer version of Apple products did not have to worry because they used a different chipset.
The order comes directly from President Obama and is detailed in a letter written by Trade Representative Maicahel Froman from the office of the President of United States. He expresses the intention of the Office from preventing future ban of products by ITC in cases involving standards essential patents.
This is the first time the Administration has issued a veto for a product ban ruling issued by the ITC after Regan Administration in 1987.
A Samsung spokesman provided AllThingsD with the following comment: “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.”
An Apple representative meanwhile told that “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 read the full letter which came the President’s Office written by Maichel Froman below:
Obama Administration ITC Letter
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