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HTC files new patent suit against Apple using Google patents
Stephen Tenerowicz
The new suit has HTC claiming infringement on patents it just acquired from Google late last week
HTC and Apple have a long running patent feud dating back to 2010 (image courtesy of TechnoBuffalo)
Published on Sep 8, 2011
Bloomberg reports that HTC has filed a new patent complaint against Apple with the U.S. International Trade Commission. The new filing, which is actually an amended complaint filed previously with the ITC, now cites nine new patents previously owned by Google that were purchased by HTC late last week.
Prior to being held by Google, four of the patents were registered to Motorola Mobility and were bought by Google at some point over the past year. The other five patents were previously owned by Palm and Openwave before Google took ownership of them at some point in the last few years.
While Google’s acquisition of Motorola Mobility has yet to receive DOJ approval, it looks like Google is already arming itself and its partners to defend Android against Apple and other companies currently targeting the platform, reports SlashGear.
As Nilay Patel of This is My Next points out, it is interesting to note that this filing raises serious questions in regards to Google's patents. Does Google still own the patents? Did they sell them to HTC at a cheap price? Can the patents be applied to other cases? No one really knows right now.
It will be interesting to see how this strategy plays out and if HTC, with Google’s support, will see a victory in court. We here at KYC will no doubt be watching to find out exactly what happens.
