The Patent Wars continue.
It seems like HTC just can’t catch a break. They just recently lost a patent case to Nokia. And that’s just piling on top of the misfortune HTC has had for the last couple of years. They are having trouble selling their phones, and it looks like they might have even more trouble very soon. On Monday, the US International Trade Commission found that several HTC smartphones that infringe two Nokia-owned patents. The ITC did find HTC innocent of infringing a third patent. An injunction preventing HTC from importing several smartphones models could be issued as a result, though it wouldn’t make much of a difference to HTC.
The devices that might be getting a sales ban in the US include the HTC Amaze 4G, Inspire 4G, Flyer, Jetstream, Radar 4G, Rezound and Sensation 4G. All of these devices are around 2 years old. So not only are HTC not selling these anymore, but most of the people that bought these phones are almost ready for an upgrade, if they aren’t already.
HTC is currently weighing their options. Nokia was quick to issue a statement though. “Nokia is pleased that the initial determination of the ITC confirmed that HTC has fringed two of our patents,” that’s all the OEM had to say.
So there’s a few devices from HTC that might be getting an import ban very soon. But I’m not sure it’ll make a difference to HTC since these devices aren’t for sale anymore. It’s just another bad day for HTC. Hopefully things will turn around for HTC pretty soon. I’d hate to see them suffer the same fate as Blackberry is currently suffering. In the Android world we need competition. Instead of it being just Samsung owning the Android market, we need more competition for Sammy so they will have an incentive to continue innovating.