Apple Hits HTC With Second Lawsuit

Apple has extended its legal tussle with Taiwanese competitor HTC after it filed a second lawsuit against the smartphone maker.

In a 21 June document, filed in a Federal District Court in Delaware, Apple alleged that HTC infringes on two additional patents not mentioned in its original suit in early March – which accused HTC of violating 20 patents related to the iPhone’s interface, architecture and hardware.

The two new patents relate to the same type of technology, which Apple describes as a “system for real-time adaptation to changes in display configuration.”

HTC Hits Back

On 17 March, HTC first responded to Apple’s allegations, saying that it intended to defend itself and offering a timeline of its milestones in the industry – which includes shipping its first touch-screen smartphone in 2002, “with more than 50 additional HTC smartphone models shipping since then.” Apple first joined the smartphone market with the introduction of its original iPhone in 2007.

Taking things further, on 12 May HTC filed a suit of its own with the International Trade Commission (ITC). The suit accuses Apple of infringing on five HTC-owned patents, and requests that the ITC prevent Apple from selling its iPhone, iPad and iPod devices in the United States.

“We are taking this action against Apple to protect our intellectual property, our industry partners and most importantly our customers that use HTC phones,” Jason Mackenzie, HTC’s vice president for North America, said in a 12 May statement.

Android Competition

On April 1, the ITC ruled that it would investigate Apple’s complaint against HTC.

With Apple’s suits following alongside the growing prominence, and popularity, of handsets running Google’s Android operating system, as many HTC handsets do, some suspect Apple of sour grapes.

In the short-term, however, Apple appears to have little to worry about.

In a 23 June research note, analyst Brian Marshall with Gleacher & Company (formerly Broadpoint AmTech), conservatively estimated that sales of the Apple iPhone will reach 40 million units in calendar year 2010, and move to 50 million in 2011.

“We reiterate our view that [Apple] is the best technology company on the planet and is the ‘anchor tenant’ of our Secular Growth Pedestal,” Marshall wrote.