Apple, Others Beat Smartphone Import Challenge in Patent Dispute

Apple Inc. and other tech companies can continue to import and sell their smartphone devices as the Federal Circuit ruled they don’t infringe several patents.

The International Trade Commission correctly found that Apple, HTC Corp., and ZTE Corp. didn’t violate US law by importing the devices because they don’t infringe INVT SPE LLC’s patents, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled Wednesday in a precedential opinion.

INVT is a patent-holding company formerly owned by Panasonic Corp. The company was seeking an import ban on the allegedly infringing iPhones and other smartphones that are manufactured overseas …