The AP's Elliot Spagat reports that the ITC's recent import ban on Qualcomm chips could result in a number of hot new phone models disappearing from the U.S. market, including this cool new toy that I've been coveting...

"The ban Thursday by the U.S. International Trade Commission raises questions about how quickly phone makers and carriers will be able to get new models to consumers," Spagat writes. "Qualcomm estimates the ruling may prevent tens of millions of new-model handsets from entering the United States. The ITC ruling in a patent dispute with chipmaker Broadcom Corp., bans imports of phones new models of advanced phones that contain Qualcomm chips. Existing models are unaffected, but that counts for a little in a rapidly changing market."

"This industry comes out with new models almost every week," says Verizon Wireless spokesperson Nancy stark. "Innovation will come to a trickle if future models are not allowed."

More here from Reuters ... more here from The Independent ... more here from Electronista ... and more here from Barron's Online.