Ruling Blocks Iphone sales for stealing from "Samsung"

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By IAN SHERR And JESSICA E. LESSIN

AP

The Apple store in Santa Monica, Calif., last month.

Samsung Electronics Co.005930.SE -0.06% won a significant legal victory against Apple Inc.AAPL -0.31% that threatens to halt the sale of some iPhones and iPads in the U.S.

The U.S. International Trade Commission on Tuesday ruled that Apple violated a Samsung patent covering technology used to send information over wireless networks.

Unless vetoed by President Barack Obama or blocked by an appeals court, the ruling would bar the importation of certain iPhones and iPads made to work on AT&T Inc.'s T +1.71% network. Among them are the iPhone 4, the iPhone 3GS, the iPad 3G, the iPad 2 3G and the iPad 3.

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• Full text of the ruling

The latest Apple products, including the iPhone 5 and the fourth-generation of the iPad, were unaffected.

Once close business partners, Samsung and Apple have become increasingly intense rivals, sparring over the market for smartphones around the globe, with much of the momentum accruing to Samsung in recent months.