15
Jun
2010
Legal Drama: ITC Investigates Apple on HTC Claims
The International Trade Commission has announced that investigations on Apple are currently underway following a recent complaint by Taiwanese manufacturer HTC.
Last May, after signing an agreement with Microsoft regarding the use of MS patents, HTC launched a formal patent infringement lawsuit against Cupertino based Apple regarding patents for 5 various technologies that are being infringed by the makers of the iPhone and the iPad.
The news came as to no surprise as everyone already expected HTC to file a counter lawsuit against Apple. Earlier this year, Apple had filed a lawsuit against HTC regarding 20 software and hardware patents. The lawsuit itself did not make mention of Google or the Android operating system, but it was confirmed that the mobile phones concerned were mostly Android devices (and a couple of WinMo phones as well).
Many saw Apple’s lawsuit as an attack on their rival Google. As many already know, Google and HTC go way back as partners in the development of the Android operating system. By crippling HTC, Apple stood to gain plenty by cutting off one of the largest manufacturers of Google Android handsets.
On the other hand, no one was really surprised by Apple’s hard edged approach when it came to using their legal capabilities. The company has already locked horns last year with Nokia in a lawsuit-counter-lawsuit legal dispute. Also, they used their influence to have the home of tech blogger Jason Chen raided by REACT operatives in the hunt for the prototype iPhone 4 which was left in a bar.
Despite Apple’s reputation as a legal bully, tables have been turned a little this year with most companies now filing cases against Apple. Elan Microelectronics, HTC and Nokia are all confirmed to have filed their own individual patent infringement lawsuits against the Cupertino based electronics manufacturer.
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