Apple files suit against HTC, seeks to bar new sales of HTC EVO phones
While it is rare to see the name "Apple" mentioned on a site like G&E, there are reports surfacing now that Apple just filed a second lawsuit against HTC, the makers of our beloved EVO line of phones and tablets. The suit alleges that phones like the HTC EVO 4G and EVO 3D are infringing upon Apple's patents, and Apple ultimately seeks to bar the sale of these and other key HTC Android-powered smartphones in the United States.
While specific details of the lawsuit filed at the International Trade Commission (ITC) this morning are not immediately available, this is not the first time that Apple has filed such a lawsuit against a competing phone manufacturer. Just last week, Apple filed a similar complaint with the ITC against Samsung, also seeking to temporarily ban the importation and sale of certain Samsung handsets. This new suit also follows a related complaint from 2010, in which Apple first accused HTC of violating certain patents.
Lucky for us, HTC recently purchased S3 Graphics, a company that held a large variety of patents that the ITC already determined have been used illegally by Apple. This not only acts as a legal shield of sorts, but could also help HTC in a potential suit against Apple, should they choose to go that route. Additionally, an ITC lawyer already recommended siding with HTC, declaring that this would be in the public's best interest. However, this is only a recommendation, and the ITC could ultimately rule either way.
Still, at this point there is no need to worry about our beloved HTC EVO 4G or EVO 3D just yet. I only wish that Apple would focus more on competition through cutting-edge innovation, rather than litigation that seems to go nowhere. In the end, this just makes handsets more expensive for consumers and stiffles the growth and widespread adoption of exciting new technology.
[CNET | Boy Genius Report | Phandroid]
Damn Crapple, why don’t you just make your phones more appealing to consumers that aren’t buying your products, like offering the ability to use memory cards or other batteries, and make them more affordable. This is just petty. It is interesting that all these lawsuits are coming about just when the iphone is being sold by other carriers besides at&t. They’re realizing that there phones aren’t the number one selling phone in these companies because there is already a big Android following. Grow up.
After going to one of those links and reading a bunch of other stories, it is apparent that there is a huge wireless war between several different companies, all looking to either block their competition, or strike some sort of deal or get paid.
Crazy stuff. I thought it was intense enough with smartphones becoming dated after just a year.
Step 1: If you can’t beat ’em with overpriced and underperforming locked devices that require registration to even develop for, brainwash your people into saying “it just works” as they have to take it to the genius bar to reset the thing after yet another failed update.
Step 2: If their “it just works” mantra doesn’t help, make sure your original carrier keeps spreading the message that your product *doesn’t work* correctly if it’s on another network.
Step 3: If neither of these bring success, sue the crap out of the company that’s handing you your ass.
This is becoming sad and sicking!! Apple needs to get out of the cell phone industry. Sue them, sue this and that. Come on already bring out something that people want. Don’t hate on competition because they are doing well with record sales!!! Hate and envy only hurts apple in the long run and it pushes consumers more away from their products..
I’m convinces apple wants a one world order when it comes to their products. I could see Steve Jobs saying Swear to our products or we will take everything you own!!
I will not buy anymore icrap products!!! i’m done with all this mess.
Hey Steve (Jobs) – go home and get your f******* shinebox
Maybe Steve needs more money for a transplant (sorry)
Mark my words: South Park got it right when they portrayed Apple in the “Human Cent-iPad” episode. The next step is Apple asking for DNA or blood confirmation prior to signing up with iTunes.
actually kind of ironic considering their first big commercial basically was about the monochromatic nature of IBM (the big company in that industry at the time) and the break-free spirit of Apple:
Now apple is the people in grey and HTC/android are the runner in hot shorts…
er wait, that did not sound at all right
Yeah, that!!….apple is feeling the heat of someone else’s success.
APPLE SUKS ,APPLE SUKS, APPLE SUKS DOWN LOAD THAT FOR A DOLLAR U CHUMPS,FACE TIME MY HTC EVO
I am not a lawyer nor do I play one on TV but I think to preserve your own patents you have to sue anything that infringes on them or you can loose them. They may have to sue to keep theirs current and in play, that does not mean they have to act on it as far as telling another company they cannot do this or that. Either way I also think they are a bunch of idiots. :)
Agreed, Apple is 10 times worse than IBM ever was. I found the original ad disgusting and there actions today even more.
We really do need patent law reform. What we have today stiffles progress and makes the blood sucking attorneys rich.
I’m going to have a healthy chuckle when H/P decides to drop the patent infringement hammer on Apple based upon the patents they gained from the acquisition of Palm. Palm had a HUGE patent portfolio and H/P could probably prison-rape any mobile device manufacturer in existence today. But I agree…patent reform needs to happen soon.
Heheheheheheheheheheheheheheheh!!!!!! And my brother has an i4 . It hurts!! Make it stop!!!
Apple is a case study in pathetic business practices and uninspiring Research & Development.. Apple (and its founders) have had a history of stealing other people’s innovations, claiming them as their own, and then trying to sue other people for infringements on it. Apple is attempting to us litigation as a means of trying to maintain and control the market. We’ve seen this from them before.
These lawsuits also signify a level of desperation on Apple’s part, as they have watched their market share stagnate and/or crumble in the face of Android’s huge successes and dominance just over the past year.
Apple is pathetic, as is Steve Jobs and the Applebots.
I guess Apple and Jobs are sucking wind, and Android is on the road to sealing their inevitable fate.
Mr. Jobs, you’ve had a nice run, but it is now time for you to say hello to our little friend, Mr. Android, and for you and Mr. iPhone to welcome his company.
Resistance is Futile!
Apple who? IPhone what?… Says Everyone in 2 years.
Google needs to step up and back the OEMs.
Apple is on the mat right now. They are desperately trying to protect their future. Google’s army of Android devices is slowly eating up the market share. Apple no longer has anything exclusive to offer. They’re dying just like RIM. I predict RIM will be dead by the end of 2012.
I’d argue that business users will keep RIM alive. It was only somewhat recently that they started to gain a following in the consumer market, just before Android really got big. And they’ll likely lose most/all of those users to Android now… but their business people, I doubt are going anywhere, in part due to loyalty, and in part because their IT won’t have the time/budget to switch over and support something new, like Android.
There’s also security concerns, RIM is pretty well locked down, seems like Android phones are constantly getting rooted/unlocked, allowing the user to do anything they want… which is GREAT for consumer phones (I find any other option unacceptable) but for a business user, whose phone has access to your company network and confidential information… a nightmare.
At best APPLE IS A JOKE a company that has been USELESS for many years now and so are their silly iphones and ipads. Apple should be worried about the EVO FAMILY DEVICES not only today but in the NEAR FUTURE because HTC IS THE BEST MANUFACTURER around. HTC knows how to handle apple in the litigation arena we won’t have nothing to worry about asthe future moves forward.
I had an iPhone 4 from Verizon, and thought it was pretty good, until… yes, until I had to reset it. After the reset, much to my dismay, I discovered in order to even use my phone for anything other than emergency calls, I had to connect it to iTunes, and also needed to be connected to the internet when doing it, so it could download the carrier settings. I drive a tractor trailer, and it was hours before I could find a place to pull into where I could get internet service and do this. Needless to say, I was upset. The next time I got home I took that iPhone back to Verizon and told them they could keep it. When I reset my Android phone, as soon as I sign in my contacts are right there, and I can use it immediately and redownload all of my apps without ever going near a computer. Dear Apple, this is why you’re getting your ass kicked.