ITC Rules In Favor of Apple: HTC Infringes on Apple Patent and Devices Are Subject to Ban in April
The ITC (International Trade Commission) has ruled in Apple’s favor by deciding that HTC indeed infringes on one of Apple’s patents. Now HTC could possibly face a ban on their products starting April 2012 here in the U.S. The specific Apple patent in question relates to formatted data that can be interacted with, such as a phone number or a date in an email. Essentially, if you tap on a phone number through Gmail and it performs an action, you just infringed on an Apple patent.
In a quick response to the ITC’s ruling, HTC stated that they are currently working on an alternative solution to the technology that is infringing on Apple’s patent. Seeing as this function appears to be a native feature in all Android powered smartphones it’s possible that Google themselves will have to create the solution and roll it out to all Android handsets.
Regardless of which side your loyalties lie, the ITC has made up their minds with an April deadline. With time ticking away we’ll be on the edge of our seats waiting to see what workaround HTC or Google can come up with to save the day.
forget apple…their just jealous that they meet up to droids numbers…
don’t *
Patent laws are important, however they are also a joke. You can get a patent for almost anything.
apple should SUE Skype for doing the same on a PC then. LOL
Apple is in a war to eradicate all competiotion to their products – Android is a huge risk because it can be adapted to any electronic device, regardless of function. Because most people are oblivious to the technical details it puts android at a disadcantage… we all know how fanatic apple fans (a.k.a iSheep) can be. Also since Android is open-source, you cant really protect your work.
Patents and IP are really important, but apple is abusing it and in 90% of the rulings are unfair. There are many ways to skin a cat, after all but apple is saying that cat skinning is its patent, so to speak.
The end reslult of all this is that we’re being robbed of choice. There will be no competition to keep prices in check and there will be no technology that develops outside of apple.
Apple is just like AT&T they want to get rid of compitition. althoe they have a point but still they sued Samsung for the Galaxy II that looks a bit like the iPhone 4. Now HTC because Google is coming out with stunning features in ICS 4.0. Apple is now missing Steve Jobs and needs the money to keep afloat. its a FACT Apple is trying real hard to manage the loss of who made it happen. Apple is falling apart.