The US Justice Department has reportedly dropped investigation into Samsung essential-patents for excluding certain Apple devices from the US market.
The Justice department said that the inquiry was no longer required in wake of an Obama administration decision in mid-2013 to overturn a sales ban on certain Apple devices.
The department also said that the US needed to pay close attention to standards-essential patents and their licensing in order to promote "innovation and economic progress, Cnet reported.
Meanwhile, the patent dispute between Samsung and Apple continues regardless of Friday's order to hold settlement disputes before the trial.
The companies plan to continue their legal battle and return to court in San Jose, Calif., at the end of March.
