Samsung has filed a suit with the ITC (International Trade Commission) of the country to prohibit the illegal importation and use of third-party OLED panels. We are actually talking about third-party repair shops using non-original OLED displays. This can literally bury the very idea of independent repair of smartphones and other devices, and not only from Samsung.
Samsung specifically claims that its company makes AMOLED displays for mobile phones. Such panels are protected under a lot of patents. Chinese and other factories that make their own versions of Samsung’s displays are infringing patent laws. They should therefore be prohibited from being imported into the United States. ITC orders are being sought by the company to ban imports of these products and ban their sale and usage in the country. The company decided to strike at each end of the chain, rather than sueing infringing producers in their territory, where patent rights can often be overlooked by authorities.
ITC announced that it has launched an investigation under Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 30. This section not only protects patents but also prevents “trade secrets misappropriation.” The import and use in America of non-genuine Samsung displays may therefore be prohibited.
It is notable that ITC has been used by many American corporations. The commission, which is not a judicial body has great power and acts faster than traditional courts. Samsung’s requirements being met will have a huge impact on medium and smaller workshops and end users. Many people prefer to purchase new devices over repairs because of the high price.
Vendors are also encouraged to encourage this buyer approach. So on the American page of Samsung, dedicated to the repair of broken displays, as the first option for “repairing” the display, an upgrade with a replacement for a new device is offered. Samsung claimed that it can meet demand for brand components. However, many workshops claim it takes a lot of time and is expensive.
The Samsung decision could have profound implications for the repair industry in the country. Samsung’s own proprietary technologies are used in displays for other smartphones. This includes 70% of iPhone displays. If ITC goes along with the South Korean tech giant, the “right to repair” movement could be in serious trouble very soon. ITC told reporters it doesn’t comment on cases in progress.