This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
President Obama's trade representative has vetoed a ban on imports of some Apple iPads and older iPhones, reversing a ruling in favor of rival Samsung Electronics.
U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman on Saturday overruled a June decision by the U.S. International Trade Commission. The commission banned imports of the iPhone 4 and some variants of the iPad 2 when it ruled that the Chinese-made Apple devices violate a patent held by Samsung.
But Froman says in a letter to the commission that he has concerns about patent holders getting too much leverage over competitors that use their technology under licenses.
Samsung and Apple are in a global legal battle over smartphones. Apple argues Samsung's Android phones copy vital iPhone features. Samsung is fighting back with its own complaints.