Older iPhone And iPad Sales Banned Due To Samsung Patent Infringement

Today is a watershed day for Apple as well as Samsung, as the pendulum does seem to have swung in favor of the South Korean company at the moment thanks to an order by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) that will effectively cease sales of several older devices from Apple, namely their iPhones and iPads, which function on AT&T Wireless’s network. These devices would include the iPhone 4, the iPhone 3GS and the iPad 2 3G.

The reason behind this sales ban? Apple has been deemed to infringe a Samsung patent, and this particular ruling would definitely deal a high-profile setback to Apple in their seemingly endless crusade against other copycats, as it certainly carries a hypocritical mark if you are a Samsung apologist and that this ruling be upheld. After all, if upheld, the ruling indirectly points to how some of the iconic technology found in Apple’s products have been duplicated from its main contender in the mobile-device market. While this would not affect Apple’s bottom line too much since most folks have already moved on to the latest generation iPhones and iPads, it is more an issue of pride than anything else, and what price would you place on the pride and reputation of a company?

Edwin Kee
Categories: Apple
Tags: Legal, Patent, Samsung