US: DOJ bows out of Samsung patent probe

The US Department of Justice has reportedly ended its investigation into smartphone maker Samsung and its attempts to block Apple iPhone imports into the country due to patent infringement, finding that earlier regulation of the case is sufficient.

Reports say the DOJ decided to end its investigation into Samsung and its practice of seeking import bans of iPhone products due to standard-essential patent infringement because other authorities have already taken the appropriate action against the firm.

The US International Trade Commission awarded Samsung an import ban of certain Apple products last year, but that decision was overturned by a US Trade Representative last August.

The DOJ said that while it found Samsung’s behavior to be anticompetitive, that Trade Representative’s ruling was sufficient to address the issue.

In a statement, the DOJ said that because of the USTR, “the Antitrust Division ahs determined that no further action is required at this time.”

Full Content: ZDNet

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