“The ITC’s investigation is in response to HTC’s complaint, filed on May 12th, that Apple is in breach of various patents owned by HTC,” Ray reports. “The complaint calls for a ban on the import of infringing products – an interesting prospect, but one that’s pretty unlikely to actually happen.”
Ray reports, “A ban on Apple products would certainly hurt the company, and quite possibly the US economy, but such a thing is still a very long way off. The ITC has announced it will be investigating, and now has 45 days to announce a schedule for that investigation. Even if Apple is found to be infringing HTC’s patents it will still get 60 days to appeal to the US Trade Representative.”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Judge Bork” for the heads up.]
“These are not the droids you’re looking for…”
Move along.
Dead claim walking.
UN F!$? ing BELIEVABLE!!!!!
If you can’t beat em’!!! SUE EM!
PATHETIC.
I guess I will have to upgrade to iP 4 ASAP, just in case
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The primary result of this development may be a drop in value of AAPL (Apple stock). There is no doubt that somebody will put a percentage number for likelihood of this complaint going the HTC way and consequently iPhone being banned from US market. Some investors may hedge their bets, based on that number, which may pull AAPL down artificially.
As we all know, HTC has no chance in hell to get anywhere with this.
Another reason Apple needs to be filling pockets of politicians in Washington with cash. See: http://macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/25586/
With all the lawsuits flying around this monday its like a bar brawl. Can imaging a real fight breaking out with someone hitting Steve when Jony Ive steps into the room. hehe
Go Jony!!
“If you can’t beat em’!!! SUE EM!”
and if you can’t win a lawsuit (already in the courts),
then complain to some bureaucrats.
what did cellphones look like before the iPhone?
what did cellphones look like after the iPhone?
can’t wait to see this one play out.
Ban the iPhone, start a riot! I hope those with the ITC weigh carefully the results of their judgment.
Ooooohhhh… MDN magic word: ‘death’… very foreboding to HTC, the company! Although I wish to be clear, I do not advocate violence in any of it’s extremes! Especially over metal and glass.
@Rob: “I guess I will have to upgrade to iP 4 ASAP, just in case”
No wonder Apple is ordering components to sell 3 million iPhones a month! The possibility of a ban by the ITC due to the suit brought by HTC.
For the increased iPhone sales, thanks, HTC!
Oh, please.
Could such a ban be retroactive, and current owners forced to turn in their iPhones?
I’m worried about all the Lilliputlians ganging up to take down Apple. This is supposed to be free market competition?
Damn Register. What they conveniently fail to mention, is the HTC action is a desperate counter-suit against Apple’s patent infringement suit against them. HTC is known to possess very few patents of any significance, and independent opinion puts much more credence in Apple’s claim. So the party in danger of being banned from sale is Google’s minion HTC, NOT Apple.
And the market responds to this by AAPL going up over $5. Sounds serious.
All of these lawsuits reek of desperation from the so called competion. They stinks of fear throwing out lawsuit after lawsuit hoping something will stick. Just goes to show how long they sat on their lazy a$$es feeding everyone crappy products. Apple comes along and completely rearranges the landscape.
– typed from EAR52069’s iPad
The Register has zero credibility…always has, always will…Why do you reprint their garbage without a disclaimer?
Considering the timing of the iPhone4, HTC is looking to pressure Apple so that Apple may go soft on their patent defense. HTC hopes to get Apple to say, “Well, okay. We won’t sue you if you don’t sue us. Let’s be best friends.”
HTC may have a viable complaint but Apple may have an answer. Apple doesn’t invent technologies without first knowing what they are doing.
What happened to Apple’s claim against HTC?
The better not mess with the iPhone availability.
Old news (as others have said). HTC is staging a counter offensive with a volley of 5 patent claims, wheras Apple had to defend it’s IP with over 20 patent claims against HTC. Just wait, HTC will “innovate” with an iPad clone in about 2 years and will again have come out with yet another ITC suit against apple. : (
If you can’t compete, litigate.
Or better yet, sucker the government to do it for you.
Pathetic losers: HTC.