HTC files patent complaint against Apple, asks for ban on iPhone, iPad, and iPod
We'd been wondering how and when HTC would respond to Apple's patent lawsuit, and here we go: the Taiwanese phone manufacturer just filed a complaint with the International Trade Commission, asking for importation and sales of the iPhone, iPad, and iPod be halted due to alleged infringement of five patents. ITC complaints like this are pretty familiar territory -- you'll recall that Nokia and Apple have both asked for similar bans in their lawsuit against each other -- but the interesting wrinkle here is that HTC apparently hasn't filed a corresponding federal lawsuit. We'll see if that's the next step for HTC down the line -- for now, we're digging into what patents are involved in the ITC complaint, so stay tuned.
Update: Gizmodo says it has a list of the patents in question, but the actual complaint hasn't hit the ITC database yet, so we can't confirm anything, and we don't know what's being pled with any specificity. We'll let you know when that happens.
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HTC SUES APPLE FOR PATENT INFRINGEMENT
Complaint outlines five HTC patents infringed by Apple products
Seattle – May 12, 2010 – HTC Corporation today took legal action against Apple Inc., filing a complaint with the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) to halt the importation and sale of the iPhone, iPad and iPod in the United States.
"As the innovator of the original Windows Mobile PocketPC Phone Edition in 2002 and the first Android smartphone in 2008, HTC believes the industry should be driven by healthy competition and innovation that offer consumers the best, most accessible mobile experiences possible," said Jason Mackenzie, vice president of North America, HTC Corporation. "We are taking this action against Apple to protect our intellectual property, our industry partners, and most importantly our customers that use HTC phones."
HTC's commitment to innovation has continued for more than a decade as it has focused on building a portfolio of the world's most advanced smartphones that are inspired by consumers and provide them with a variety of choices in software, design, form-factor, price and wireless carrier. Today, consumers in the United States can choose between 12 HTC smartphones with the national wireless carriers. HTC has continuously strived to bring innovative smartphone choices to consumers, like the recently unveiled HTC EVO 4G with Sprint, DROID Incredible by HTC with Verizon Wireless and the HTC HD2 with T-Mobile. For more information on HTC's long-standing commitment to consumers innovation and choice go to: www.htc.com/quietlybrilliant
About HTC
HTC Corporation (HTC) is one of the fastest growing companies in the mobile phone industry. By putting people at the center of everything it does, HTC creates innovative smartphones that better serve the lives and needs of individuals. For more information about HTC, please visit www.htc.com.
