Apple seeks to
block newest HTC phones from import into U.S.
Apple Inc. filed an
enforcement action at the U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington,
seeking an emergency order that would block imports of HTC Corp.’s newest
phones and tablet computers.
HTC had been ordered by
the commission to remove a function patented by Apple for data-detection
technology if it wanted to continue selling its mobile phones in the U.S. Apple
contends products including the HTC One X, HTC One S, HTC EVO 4G LTE phones and
Flyer tablets continue to infringe its patent even after an exclusion order was
issued in December
China proposes expanding controls on Internet to include
microblogs
Associated Press
SHANGHAI — China plans to stiffen restrictions on Internet service
providers as it seeks even greater control over the opinions voiced on the
country’s lively microblogs and other web forums.
Samsung challenges Apple's move to block Galaxy smartphone
sales in the US
Associated Press
SEOUL, South Korea — Samsung Electronics Co. said Thursday it will
fight Apple’s move to stop U.S. sales of its new Galaxy phone in the latest
flare-up of an intellectual property battle between the world’s top smartphone
makers.
HTC, Asia’s
second-largest smartphone maker, is counting on its One series of phones to
improve its share of a market that reached $312 billion last year, according to
Bloomberg Industries data. The company had 4.5 percent of the global smartphone
market in the first quarter, down from a peak of 10.7 percent in the second
quarter of 2011, as it lost to competition from Apple’s iPhone and Samsung Electronics
Co.’s Galaxy line.
“HTC has worked long and
hard to get itself back on track and this is aimed at what everyone looks at as
a new beginning with the One series,” said Will Stofega, an analyst at IDC in
Framingham, Massachusetts. “HTC has been having a rough patch and this is them
getting kicked again.”
Stopped at Border
Some HTC products were
stopped at the U.S. border last month, delaying plans by Sprint Nextel Corp. to
sell the HTC EVO 4G. U.S. Customs and Border Protection allowed the products,
made in Taiwan, to enter the U.S. after assurances by HTC that the devices weren’t
infringing the Apple patent.
“HTC has completed the
review process with U.S. Customs and HTC devices have been released, as they
are in compliance with the ITC’s ruling,” the Taoyuan, Taiwan-based company
said in an e-mailed statement today.
Apple wants the
commission to have all HTC products that run on Google Inc.’s Android operating
service blocked from the U.S. until the enforcement case is resolved. It also
asks the agency to force HTC to remove any products from store shelves that it
imported in violation of the exclusion order.
“The commission allowed
HTC four months to either negotiate a license with Apple or to remove the
infringing functionality from its Android devices,” Apple said in the
complaint. “HTC did neither.”
Android Battle
Cupertino,
California-based Apple said that if such an order isn’t imposed, HTC otherwise
should be required to post a bond equal to the value of each imported product,
or at least $290 for each device, Apple said in the filing dated June 4.
“HTC’s market share for
Android phones is the most significant part of their business,” said Makan
Delrahim of Brownstein Hyatt in Los Angeles, who specializes in patent and
trade issues. “If Apple got an order to remove those from the shelves, that
would be as significant as it comes.”
Apple filed its initial
complaint against HTC in March 2010, the first salvo in the iPhone maker’s
legal battle against devices that run on Android. It has since become embroiled
in litigation with Samsung and Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc., which became a
Google unit last month, over their Android products.
In February, HTC lost a
patent-infringement case it filed against Apple. Both companies have filed new
patent complaints against each other at the trade agency.
The newest case is In
the Matter of Personal Data and Mobile Communications Devices and Related
Software, Complaint No. 2900. The earlier case is In the Matter of Certain
Personal Data and Mobile Communications Devices and Related Software, 337-710.
Both were filed at the U.S. International Trade Commission (Washington).
