Samsung Appeal of Obama Veto Lost

Samsung Electronics must stop its importing of some of its models of tablets and smartphones into the United States, after the White House administration upheld a ban that was won by Apple in a dispute over patent infringement.

A statement released by Michael Froman a U.S. Trade Representative designated by the White House, said the policy considerations had been carefully weighed, including impact on competition and consumers, and it was decided to allow the import ban to carry forward.

Samsung now has the right to seek a delay on the ban from an appeals court in the U.S. that can consider the entire case on its legal grounds.

The two companies are the largest in the smartphone global market that is $280 billion large. Samsung currently holds the title as the biggest in the world. Patent litigation over four continents, which has been a huge cost to both companies  of millions of dollars has left neither one as a clear winner. Both are seeking the prize of limiting the sales of the other inside the U.S.

The South Korea based Samsung argued that the ban the U.S. International Trade Commission had imposed should be overturned on grounds of public policy, especially since an order that was similar to it won against the iPhone 4S by Apple, was thwarted by the veto of the president last August.

While Apple, based in Cupertino, California, usually has only four different iPhone models at any one time in the market, Samsung has a myriad of models led by the Galaxy S4 its flagship, which was not included in the legal case.

The ban on importing is on limited models, The ITC said the new models by Samsung worked around the patents of Apple, which covered a feature of multi-touch and one for a headphone sensor jack.