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Obama Administration Overrules iPhone Trade Ban
Back in June, the U.S. International Trade Commission issued an import ban on the iPhone 4 and iPad 2 3G due to patent violations. Now, the White House has exercised its privilege to overrule the ban. In his letter to the ITC (PDF), Ambassador Michael Froman said 'he was not making a decision about the merits of Samsung's case, or its right to seek compensation. Rather, he emphasized that because the patent in question was now a widely held technology standard, banning the products in question would be too disruptive to consumers and the economy.' This is the first time an ITC decision has been overruled since 1987.
The same was not done for Samsung when their products were banned over flimsier design patents
It would be very wrong of the White House to give one US corporation carte-blanche to ignore a patent. Although the ITC ban may be too strong a response, there's still the fact that Apple has been ignoring a patent for years. They shouldn't be free to continue indefinitely.
--- Often in error; never in doubt!
Rather, he emphasized that because the patent in question was now a widely held technology standard, banning the products in question would be too disruptive to consumers and the economy
That argument could be used to sooooo many other patent litigations, and somehow never is, except when the affected part is a big American company.
Rome taught me patience and assiduous application to detail. Virtues which temper the boldness of great, general views.
Money buys a lot.
Double standards if nothing else.
At least they're not keeping the buyoffs a secret anymore. With all their promises of transparency and all, this is a lovely sign.
It also probably doesn't hurt that Apple is a US based corporation, while Samsung is Korean. I'd bet if this was a Samsung vs Asus or Sony dispute, the Obama administration would not have stepped in.
Because it's Apple who won this move, patents are important to the Slashdot crowd. Funny that.
Most of us would be happy if patents were to go away.
What we object to is the US President telling US courts that he's going to ignore the law for Apple, but not for everyone else. Either the law applies to everyone, or it should be repealed, not just ignored by executive fiat.
Now when a 3rd-world country decides to ignore pharmaceutical patents to save its people from dying, that is crossing the line! Retaliation through economic restrictions must apply!
`echo $[0x853204FA81]|tr 0-9 ionbsdeaml`@gmail.com
US based corporation? You mean the one publicly traded on the stock exchange, with manufacturing facilities in China? The one that ships iPhones and iPads directly from China? Or is it because they have an office in Cupertino that you consider them US based?
Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
People will rue the day that they allowed the Executive Branch to so widely ignore laws on immigration, health care, spending and now finding of a duly authorized organization.
When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
The one that doesn't pay any corporation tax or tax on its vast cash stockpiles? I think you will find that for Apple Inc. is not a US company, at least as far as taxation goes.
const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
Now extend this attitude to every side of every issue and you'll understand why politics is so dysfunctional.
Also, it is a sad testament to our culture that you can publicly confess that you'll stick to your initital prejudice no matter what facts or logic you might encounter, and apparently see that as a source of pride rather than a serious cognitive flaw.
Forget magic. Any technology distinguishable from divine power is insufficiently advanced.