The verdict of Obama administration that overturned a global trade ruling against Apple Inc promised to upend the battles regarding intellectual property rights in the smartphone market. It was expected to modify the strategies used by the world's largest technology corporation in defending their inventions. The ruling was the first veto on patent filings in the US in more than two decades.
This year, the corporations that have been making use of patents to make their competitors hobble in the smartphone market were expected to surpass US$400 billion. According to PricewaterhouseCoopers, from 2011 to 2012, the patent cases that were filed increased by almost 30% at 5,189 cases.
Since April 2011, Apple and Samsung have been fighting over patented rights. The lawsuit that resulted to Saturday's veto, involved the US International Trade Commission's (ITC) decision in early June. ITC said that the sales of iPhone 4 and iPad 2 must be banned since Apple breached the patent of Samsung. ITC's role and its order split opinion in the technology industry and raised questions regarding the best way to further innovations.
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