Apple Sues HTC for Infringment of patents

March 2, 2010 in Hardware

Apple has taken legal action against phone maker HTC, alleging it has infringed patented technology. Apple issued a press release announcing it has sued HTC, According to the suit, HTC smartphones borrow key architecture and hardware elements from Apple’s handset.

below is the Re-production without change of the official press-release by Apple as taken from Softpedia

CUPERTINO, California—March 2, 2010—Apple® today filed a lawsuit against HTC for infringing on 20 Apple patents related to the iPhone’s user interface, underlying architecture and hardware. The lawsuit was filed concurrently with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) and in U.S. District Court in Delaware.

“We can sit by and watch competitors steal our patented inventions, or we can do something about it. We’ve decided to do something about it,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We think competition is healthy, but competitors should create their own original technology, not steal ours.”

Apple reinvented the mobile phone in 2007 with its revolutionary iPhone®, and did it again in 2008 with its pioneering App Store, which now offers more than 150,000 mobile applications in over 90 countries. Over 40 million iPhones have been sold worldwide.

This is not the first time Apple has made a move like this, back in december of 2009 when it countersued Nokia on some similar grounds, The VP then said “Other companies must compete with us by inventing their own technologies, not just by stealing ours.”. The legal action has been filed with the US International Trade Commission and a district court in Delaware.HTC has yet to respond to requests for comment.

Official update from HTC regarding the charges by Apple : : “HTC is a mobile technology innovator and patent holder that has been very focused over the past 13 years on creating many of the most innovative smartphones. HTC values patent rights and their enforcement but is also committed to defending its own technology innovations. HTC only learned of Apple’s actions this morning via media reports, and therefore we have not yet had the opportunity to investigate the filings. Until we have had this opportunity, we are unable to comment on the validity of the claims being made against HTC.”

Source | BBC |Softpedia

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