ITC Rules in Favor of Apple: The iPhone 5 Will Release Unimpeded (For Now)

The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) Judge James Guildea ruled in favor of Apple this Friday, stating that the tech company did not violate some of Samsung's patents related to 3G technology with its line of iPods, iPads, and iPhones.

This is only the preliminary ruling, as the full commission (made of 6 members) is scheduled to make a decision whether to uphold or overturn this decision in January. The ITC has the power to block these products from be imported into the U.S.

While the commission certainly holds the power to overturn the current decision, Samsung seems rather confident as a spokesperson stated:  

"We remain confident that the full commission will ultimately reach a final determination that affirms our position that Apple must be held accountable for free-riding on our technological innovations. We are proud of our long history of innovation in the mobile industry and will continue to defend our intellectual-property rights."

Regardless of the final outcome, the preliminary ruling will prove to be vital for Apple and iPhone fans alike, as this means the iPhone 5 will release unimpeded.

Apple May Not Be in the Clear

Apple may not be in the clear though, as this was only one of Samsung's possible claims against the new handset. The preliminary ruling held by the ITC covered the claims that Samsung held against Apple's use of 3G in its devices. However, the KoreanTimes last week stated that Samsung is reportedly getting ready to make claims against the iPhone 5 for infringing on patents related to 4G LTE.

While this has yet to be confirmed by either Samsung or Apple, with all the litigation that has been going on between the two tech giants, the possibility of a another claim seems all too likely. Especially since Apple recently won a significant patent victory over Samsung, the S. Korean company is poised to strike back.