HTC Hits Apple With Left Hook

By Ian Bell May 12, 2010

Taiwanese cell phone maker HTC has filed a legal complaint against Apple, looking to block sales of the iPhone and other Apple products.

The complaint, filed with the U.S. International Trade Commission, steps up an ongoing patent dispute between the two companies.

Apple Inc. sued HTC Corp. in March, claiming the company’s cell phones violate its patents on the iPhone. HTC makes several phones that run on Google Inc.’s Android operating system, a competitive threat for Apple.

HTC’s complaint is not likely to block sales of Apple products any time soon. Patent disputes are common among tech companies and often take years to resolve.

Here is a quick summary of the counter-attack:

THE DISPUTE: Taiwanese cell phone maker HTC Corp. is filing a patent complaint against Apple Inc. over its popular gadgets. In March, Apple Inc. had filed its own patent lawsuits against HTC.

THE LANDSCAPE: The legal dispute comes amid increased competition to Apple’s iPhone from smart phones running Google Inc.’s Android software. HTC makes several Android phones.

THE EFFECT: Nothing in the short term. Phones from both companies should still be available for sale. These disputes often lead to licensing agreements rather than outright bans on sales.

Catch up on the dispute below:

Apple sues HTC over iPhone patents

HTC to Apple: You Copied Us

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