The US International Trade Commission (ITC) on Friday backed Apple in a patent battle with Taiwan's leading smartphone maker HTC. An ITC administrative law judge reportedly issued a preliminary finding that HTC violated two of 10 patents at issue in a complaint filed by Apple in March of last year.
The finding is to be reviewed by the full commission and could lead to a ban on imports of Android-powered HTC smartphones into the United States. HTC vowed to fight Apple's patent claims in an appeal to ITC commissioners. Apple in March 2010 called on the ITC to investigate HTC over iPhone patents. That was followed months later by HTC filing for a probe into possible software patent abuse by the California-based firm.
Apple Monday filed a separate complaint against HTC with ITC over five other patents in the iPad and iPhone. It has also lodged a suit in a US District Court in Delaware. Patent lawsuits are a regular occurrence among technology giants and Apple is currently being sued by Nokia for patent infringement. Apple has fired back a countersuit against the Finnish mobile phone giant.