Apple innovated with the iPhone in 2007. They followed it up with an App Store, iPod touch and iPad. In the process over the last 4 years, Apple has filed numerous patents and picked up valuable IP. If we go back to 2007, the kind of touchscreen you saw were Windows Mobile laden HTC Touch. Add iPhone’s multitouch charisma, UI, web powers etc and the competition was clueless.
With Android coming in, competitors like HTC, Samsung, Motorola etc have fought back. With intense competition and players like Nokia and Microsoft struggling to make an impact in the smartphone space. A natural outcome of such intense competition in the market is patent battles / lawsuits. Almost all major smartphone companies are suing each other over patent infringement charges. And new suits and counter suits are being filed every day.
HTC and Apple are fighting it out with ITC complaints since last year. However recently Apple added a fresh complaint to ITC adding 5 more patents to the mix. Some experts have pointed this as a move to simply cover the HTC’s tablet Flyer under the original complaint, but HTC has hit back with a comment
“HTC is disappointed at Apple’s constant attempts at litigations instead of competing fairly in the market,”
The tablets market is buzzing with Apple selling over 25 million iPads already. The competition is yet to even hit a million. Android is seen as the next big thing, but hey, isn’t Android the center of numerous patent suits? HTC itself is paying Microsoft a royalty for each Android handset sold. HTC is the one who just acquired a graphics company for $300 million just to strengthen its patent profile. HTC’s problem with Apple’s ITC complaints and aggression is everything to do with saving royalties and not about competing.