The decision isn't the end of the road for this dispute. The rest of the ITC panel now has the opportunity to review the initial decision. They can take a variety of actions, including modifying the decision.

Apple has separately asked the ITC to investigate Nokia, also charging patent infringement.

While Nokia is still the number-one phone maker in the world and has a deep patent portfolio, Apple has managed to put its iPhone in the spotlight among smartphones. The legal arguments between the companies highlight their battle for share of the market and consumers' minds.

The IDG News Service