Samsung Fails to Win Presidential Veto of Potential U.S. Import Ban in Apple Patent Case

apple_samsung_logosSamsung has failed to win a presidential veto overturning a looming import ban on several of its older mobile devices, reports Bloomberg. The ban is based on a verdict in a U.S. International Trade Commission case in which the company was ruled to have infringed upon patents held by Apple.

“After carefully weighing policy considerations, including the impact on consumers and competition, advice from agencies, and information from interested parties, I have decided to allow” the import ban to proceed, Obama’s designee, U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman, said in a statement today.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative last month vetoed a similar ban that had been issued against Apple over Samsung patents. That order was the first such veto since 1987 and came amid increasing calls for less reliance on the threat of barring product imports as part of patent litigation strategies. In particular, Samsung's wielding of "standards essential" patents covering basic functions of the device necessary for its operation was seen as overly aggressive when such patents are required to be licensed under reasonable terms.

Samsung had argued that its ban should be overturned on grounds similar to those cited in the Apple ban veto, but Froman disagreed, noting that Samsung had already released several devices with approved workarounds for the features that had been ruled to be infringing upon Apple's patents.

Samsung may still seek a delay in the import ban, but that will require a full review of the case on legal ground by a U.S. appeals court.

Popular Stories

iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

iPhone 18 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Thursday January 15, 2026 10:56 am PST by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another eight months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we have recapped 12 features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro models, as of January 2026: The same overall design is expected, with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes, and a "plateau" housing three rear cameras Under-screen Face ID...
iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

New Leak Reveals iPhone 18 Pro Display Sizes, Under-Screen Face ID, and More

Wednesday January 14, 2026 7:09 am PST by
While the iPhone 18 Pro models are still around eight months away, a leaker has shared some alleged details about the devices. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo this week, the account Digital Chat Station said the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will have the same 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes as the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Consistent with previous...
2024 iPhone Boxes Feature

Apple Adjusts Trade-In Values for iPhones, Macs, and More

Thursday January 15, 2026 11:19 am PST by
Apple today updated its trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models. Trade-ins can be completed on Apple's website, or at an Apple Store. The charts below provide an overview of Apple's current and previous trade-in values in the United States, according to the company's website. Most of the values declined slightly, but some of the Mac values increased. iPhone ...
Verizon New

Verizon Offering $20 Credit After Major Outage, Here's How to Get It

Thursday January 15, 2026 7:37 am PST by
Verizon today announced it will be offering customers a $20 account credit after a major outage on Wednesday, and action is required to receive it. The carrier said affected customers can accept the credit by logging into the My Verizon app, but it might take some time before this option shows up in the app. Affected customers will receive a text message when the credit is available. On...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

These 5 Apple Products Will Reportedly Be Upgraded With OLED Displays

Friday January 16, 2026 7:07 pm PST by
Apple plans to upgrade the iPad mini, MacBook Pro, iPad Air, iMac, and MacBook Air with OLED displays between 2026 and 2028, according to DigiTimes. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously reported that the iPad mini and MacBook Pro will receive an OLED display as early as this year, but he does not expect the MacBook Air to adopt the technology until 2028 at the earliest. A new iPad Air is...

Top Rated Comments

Ursadorable Avatar
160 months ago
Copy THAT bitches!
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JAT Avatar
160 months ago
Not surprising. Isn't the govt too busy ignoring its job to do its job?
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Xenu007 Avatar
160 months ago
Samsung is dirty, and everyone knows it

Samsung is as dirty as Steve Jobs was innovative. Some of the components in the products I use may be Samsung, but I will never purchase a Samsung branded product, ever.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rettun1 Avatar
160 months ago
"Samsung fails to win"

That about sums it up right there
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bkushner Avatar
160 months ago
It's all a big farce. A legitimate ban was vetoed and an illegitimate was upheld. Gives you a lesson on our government's protectionism.

The Samesung force is strong in this one. Your cheque is in the mail after 10 more Samesung posts.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Someyoungguy Avatar
160 months ago
Pot calling the kettle. Why are you here?



It is clear. It's protectionism.

Apple didn't take license to those standard setting patents so that's why the veto. So they didn't innovate and didn't pay. And note, essential standards don't just pop out of nowhere. People invent them. So if Apple is held out by not having access to standard essential patents it's because either they didn't pay later, or they didn't participate earlier, by doing R&D and collaborating in the creation of the standard.

In this case, it's not standard essential so Apple doesn't have to offer a license and didn't. So now they're arguing that because Samsung "innovated," it will be punished.

You make my head hurt. Do you also get confused by traffic lights?
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)