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UPDATE - HTC hits Apple with counter suit, asks ITC to block sales of iPhone, iPad and iPod

Taiwanese handset maker HTC has hit back against Apple by filing a complaint with the International Trade Commission (ITC), claiming that the Cupertino giant is violating five of its patents.
Written by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, Contributing Writer

Taiwanese handset maker HTC has hit back against Apple by filing a complaint with the International Trade Commission (ITC), claiming that the Cupertino giant is violating five of its patents.

Here's a statement from HTC's vice president of North America Jason Mackenzie:

"As the innovator of the original Windows Mobile PocketPC Phone Edition in 2002 and the first Android smartphone in 2008, HTC believes the industry should be driven by healthy competition and innovation that offer consumers the best, most accessible mobile experiences possible.  We are taking this action against Apple to protect our intellectual property, our industry partners, and most importantly our customers that use HTC phones."

No word on what the five patents are.

HTC is asking the ITC to halt the importation and sale of the iPhone, iPad and iPod in the United States.

So that's Apple, Nokia and HTC that have approached the ITC asking for competitors handsets to be halted in the US.

This is just getting silly. I know how to put an end to these endless lawsuits - the ITC should block the importation and sale of handsets by all three companies. I bet that these patent issues would be sorted out within hours if that happened.

UPDATE: Details of the infringements can be found here.

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