Apple has asked the International Trade Commission for a stay on an import ban it issued on several of the company's iPhone and iPad devices. Back in June, the ITC issued an import ban preventing Apple from importing several models of iPhone and iPad. The ban came after an ITC ruling that Apple had violated Samsung-owned patents related to cellular technology. The notice named the AT&T models of the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 as well as 3G versions of the original iPad and iPad 2. It detailed a limited exclusion order and a cease and desist order that would prohibit Apple from importing or selling or distributing the aforementioned devices within the United States.
The import ban was supposed to kick in after a 60-day President review period and Apple still had the option of appealing the ruling to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. In fact, the company said it plans to do just that. This week, Apple requested stay on the ban pending that appeal. GigaOm was the first to spot Apple's application for a stay in which the Cupertino-based company says such action would cause irreparable damage to the company. Apple says the ban on the iPhone 4 and iPad 2 could mean a loss in new customers planning on purchasing entry-level devices.
The ITC ban is set to go into effect in less than a month. If Apple gets a stay, the ITC will wait until the outcome of the appeal (which Apple is hoping will be successful) before imposing the ban.
