HTC countersues Apple, asks ITC to halt sales of iPhone, iPod, and iPad

By Jerry Hildenbrand
published

Direct from HTC's press release (opens in new tab)

Seattle – May 12, 2010 – HTC Corporation today took legal action against Apple Inc., filing a complaint with the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) to halt the importation and sale of the iPhone, iPad and iPod in the United States.

In response to the suit Apple filed against HTC in March, HTC is now countersuing, claiming that Apple is infringing on five of its patents. We're still digging for more details, but the press release mentions that HTC believes the mobile industry should be driven by competition and innovation.  Sounds like a jab at the whole state of the current US patent process as well as Apple's lawsuit to me.  How much (or how little) this will affect consumers remains to be seen, but rest assured that as soon as we know more, you will too. 

HTC also has a new promo video for their "quietly brilliant" campaign backing up their message, it's after the break. That tagline is looking more and more inspired as this fight with Apple heats up.

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Jerry Hildenbrand
Jerry Hildenbrand
Senior Editor — Google Ecosystem

Jerry is an amateur woodworker and struggling shade tree mechanic. There's nothing he can't take apart, but many things he can't reassemble. You'll find him writing and speaking his loud opinion on Android Central and occasionally on Twitter.

24 Comments
  • I bet they will play that at the evo event today
  • Go HTC, I'm glad they are firing back.
  • HTC (to apple): "SHORYUKEN!!!!"
  • Nice video by HTC. The company definitely stakes a claim on touch screens and gestures that pre-date, or are simultaneous to the release of the iPhone. I thought it was intentionally clever to highlight the comment by Stephen Fry, a well-known Apple devotee.
  • why do people keep posting pictures of the G1 vs the iphone. kinda degrades htc... put the evo up there. or at least the incredible. g1 is outdated
  • Yawn... Big whoop.. Of course HTC is going to counter sue!?!? Why is this any surprise. Apple keeps grabbing the spotlight with their now TWO "lost" iPhone's in the hands of Gizmodo, so HTC wants some of the spotlight back.
    Just drop the whole stupid lawsuits on both ends and keep humping along. Both companies need each other/Google, so just be friends for goodness sakes.. Uggg!! STUPID
  • friends no competitors yes. One upmanship drives innovation and invention and consumers and customers win
  • FINALLY, a company with BALLS! I'd like to know where and why Google hads't stepped up to the plate and go to bat for HTC. Suffice to say, without HTC - Android wouldn't be where it is today and at the same time, if it wasn't for Google where would HTC be? But what I really want to know is when is an EVO 4G sibling is going to be available on BIG Red. Wasn't/ISN'T there a Dell (I think) that's supposed to be released on Father's Day? That's what I'm waiting for, either a 4.3" or 5" screen with SnapDragon to snatch so I can hand down my beloved DROID to my wife or daughters! Please, somebody DAZZLE me with the goods on either of those phones.
  • Actually Google has already stated that they will back HTC.
  • The time for Google to get involved has not yet ripened it will
  • Shit just got real. :P
  • gettem HTC !!
  • How about you put "Tapout" gloves on the Android phone and leave the "Everlast" on the iPhone because Android is and will continue to surpass the iPhone just like MMA is doing to boxing!!!
  • Great to see HTC standing up for themselves hopefully their recent agreement with Microsoft along with their obvious claims of "prior art" will put an end to this silliness.
  • HTC, innovation as well as competition are both needed for a successful mobile phone industry. Without innovation we would still be talking on huge grey Motorola phones and their would be a billion cell phone companies. Patents are put in place to protect the inventors of these wonderful technologies that we use today. I'm not talking sides because I have owned the very best that Apple and HTC as to offer. But I respectfully disagree with the statement that mobile industry needs to be driven by competition and not innovation. Because without innovation we wouldn't be where we are as a human race today.
  • The article said competition and innovation
  • I'm just going to say it right now - I am and always will be an HTC owner. (Sense's #1 fan) Apple will definately regret sueing HTC. HTC has some of the biggest partners in the world who will back them up (primarly Microsoft and Google). Google has said they will back HTC, and Microsoft has cleverly helped them out by giving then the use of their extensive patents.Its not like HTC doesnt have a few nice "little" things up their sleeve, with being the pioneer in many features I cant help but to think they have a nice arsenal to fire back with. All I can really say to Apple is goodluck. (and I cant even say that with a straight face) HTC has superior products, and Apple just cant stand for second place, so itll be interesting to see the outcome.
  • I love my HTC phone - go get em :).
  • GO HTC! show Apple and its "iphony" how its done!
  • TAKE EM DOWN HTC!!!!
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  • Holy effin' horse-pucky batman... if I understand the patent info at the Giz, HTC owns caller ID and phone dialers with visual representation of input....... wowzers.
  • Go HTC. {{-_-}}
  • HTC's marketing dept is brilliant. Their videos are awesome.