Samsung must stop importing some smartphones and tablet models into the U.S. after President Barack Obama?s administration upheld a ban won by Apple in a patent-infringement dispute. The Korean company requested the Obama administration veto a court-ordered ban on Samsung products that, Apple alleged, violate patents. But the U.S. Trade Representative's office said on Tuesday that it would allow the U.S. ban to go into effect.

The U.S. International Trade Commission said on August that some older mobile devices made by South Korea's Samsung infringed on Apple patents. It banned the importation of those devices.

Samsung won't necessarily feel a major impact following the ruling, since the import ban is on a limited number of products. Samsung's newer products, including the Galaxy S4, do not infringe the specific patents.

The ITC said newer models by Samsung had worked around two Apple patents, which covered a multitouch feature and one for a sensor for headphone jacks.

Samsung can also delay the ban by bringing the case to a US appeals court.