Samsung Seeks US Veto of Import Ban Just Like Apple Got

Samsung Electronics wants the same favor from President Barack Obama that he gave Apple -- the right to keep importing smartphones and tablets found to infringe the other’s patents.

Unless the White House overturns an import ban against Samsung for infringing two Apple patents, the world’s biggest maker of smartphones will see certain older models locked out of the US at midnight Oct. 8 Washington time. The Administration’s been in this position before. On Aug. 3, it overturned an import ban won by Samsung against older versions of Apple’s iPhone 4 and iPad 2 3G. The two companies are the biggest players in the $279.9 billion global smartphone market, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Suwon, South Korea-based Samsung says blocking one competitor’s products while letting another’s remain on the U.S. market could be seen as pro-American bias.