HTC Sues Apple In The UK, Following ITC Ruling

HTC Corp. (2498), the Taiwanese smartphone maker locked in a patent battle with competitor Apple Inc., sued the iPhone maker in Britain.

The complaint, filed July 29 in London, comes two weeks after HTC lost a ruling against Apple at the U.S. International Trade Commission. Notice of the U.K. case didn’t specify the nature of the new lawsuit.

The Washington-based ITC ruled on July 15 that HTC’s Android-based mobile phones infringe two Apple patents, a judgment that HTC, Asia’s second-biggest maker of smartphones, has said it will appeal.

Apple, based in Cupertino, California, asked the ITC in March 2010 to block imports of HTC phones, alleging they infringe patents related to the implementation of operating systems. HTC last month said it would buy S3 Graphics Co. for $300 million to boost the legal protection of its products, less than a week after S3 won an ITC ruling against Apple.

Trudy Muller, an Apple spokeswoman, didn’t immediately return a call seeking comment. A spokesman for HTC’s European unit declined to comment.

The case is HTC Europe Co. v. Apple Inc. (AAPL), HC11C02703, in the High Court of Justice,Chancery Division (London).

Source: Technology Tavern via bloomberg