Post # 17: Implications of ITC import ban on Apple

A ruling is due on May 31 by the ITC (International Trade Commission)  most likely to pronounce that Apple has infringed at least one of the claims detailed in U.S. Patent No. 7,706,348. This is supposedly an UMTS-essential patent, which stands for The Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS). As a brief explanation, UMTS is a third generation mobile cellular system for networks based on the Global System for Mobile Communications standard which unties compatible handsets and communication devices.

What is concerning Samsung however, is that this US import ban, if put into effect against apple, would affect only older apple products and thus cause little disruption to Apples mobile device market share.

Nonetheless, it is worth considering the implications of this import ban. Arguably, the removal of older and inexpensive apple products could affect their sales from more traditional, less tech savy consumers who are not concerned with the latest apple product releases. Similarly, this ban would most likely hinder apple’s repair business; as consumer’s older products break, apple will be unable to fix these products as promised. Most importantly, I believe the greatest wound to apple in this case is the negative PR, surrounding the case. We are dealing with a company here that is already being accused of losing some of its innovative touch, with a slightly disappointing release of the IPhone 5, therefore anything that suggests any of their products were in some way plagiarised is detrimental.