HTC and Nokia have been locked in an ongoing legal battle for a little while now, and it seems that things aren’t going too well for the former.
A preliminary ITC ruling has sided with Nokia’s claims that its rival has been infringing on its patents. If this is followed through on, it’s possible that HTC devices will receive an import ban in the US, effectively halting sales in the region.
The order states: “The Administrative Law Judge hereby determines that a violation of Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, has been found in the importation into the United States, the sale for importation, or the sale within the United States after importation of certain electronic devices, including mobile phones and tablet computers, and components thereof, in connection with the claims of U.S. Patent Nos. 7,415,247 and 6,393,260.”
Don’t panic just yet though – HTC has options. It’s most likely that the Taiwanese company will petition the ruling in an attempt to have it reviewed and overturned. Should that fail, then a deal will likely be struck between the two companies. It might be a hefty price to pay for HTC, but preferable over stopping sales of their products.
Expect a resolution to this struggle soon.
Source: Ubergizmo
