As a result of the lawsuits between Apple and Samsung, Apple was facing a sales ban on some of its older products. The ban was overturned by the Executive Office of the President, so you won’t have to worry about being able to still snag some older Apple gear.
The ban would have only affected the iPhone 4 and the iPad 2, which Samsung claims Apple did not have proper patent licensing for, but it’s a moot point now. U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Michael B.G. Froman at the Executive Office of the President overturned the ruling that ordered the ban.
Froman argued in his ruling that the ban would have a negative impact on the economy, and that there are unsettled issues with the fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory (FRAND) licensing at the heart of the case. Samsung claims Apple failed to properly license 3G GSM patents, but Apple claims that Samsung would not license the patents under fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory terms.
You can read the full letter Froman outlining his decision below. It’s a bit of a dry read, but you should be able to finish it before the next round of Apple/Samsung nonsense.
Obama government letter re Apple iPhone 4/iPad 2 ban
(via SlashGear, image via Yutaka Tsutano)
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Published: Aug 4, 2013 11:00 am