Android

HTC says ‘some products’ pass US Customs review after patent spat with Apple

Jake Smith | May 20 2012 - 1:32 pm PT

Last week, The Verge reported that Apple got U.S. Customs to delay the import of the HTC One X and Evo 4G LTE into the country due to patent issues. Customs started holding back the handsets headed for AT&T and Sprint while the agency investigated outstanding patent issues currently raised with Apple. During December of last year, the International Trade Commission ruled in favor of Apple and ordered a ban on a number of HTC products. The import ban went in place on April 19, 2012, which was supposed to give HTC time to fix the issues. However, once the launch of the One X and Evo 4G LTE hit the U.S., Customs still needed to take a look at the products, even though HTC said the new products did not break any patents.

Today, Taiwanese-based publication Tapei Times reported that HTC told the Taiwanese Stock Exchange yesterday that the handsets passed Customs review and are now heading into the market. HTC’s statement is extremely vague: “Some of our products have passed the review and have been delivered to our telecoms operators’ clients in the US.” There is no word on which products are now being let in; however, we reached out to HTC for a comment and are hoping to hear back soon.

I do not think it would be too far-fetched to think this is something Apple wanted—especially because the HTC One X at AT&T and Evo 4G LTE at Sprint are two hot devices that could cut into iPhone sales. HTC shareholders certainly were not too thrilled, because the company’s shares went down 4.6-percent last Wednesday.

via Android Central | Image via TmoNews