Microsoft Corp avoided a potentially costly setback to its financially troubled mobile phone business on Friday as the US International Trade Commission declined to block the import of its devices in a longstanding patent dispute, Reuters reported. The decision rejected a ruling in April by a US trade judge who found that Microsoft had infringed two InterDigital Inc wireless patents, and recommended an import ban. The commission’s action is good news for Microsoft, which has been struggling to compete with popular Apple Inc and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd devices. The Redmond, Washington-based company has captured just 3% of the smartphone market in both the United States and globally, according to recent estimates. Microsoft last month posted a record quarterly loss as it took a $7.5 billion charge on its handset business, which it bought from Nokia last year. Wilmington, Delaware-based InterDigital first accused Nokia of infringing its patents in 2007. InterDigital stock was down 3% in after-hours trading on Friday.
