Patent war expands

HTC has filed a new lawsuit against Apple in the UK, says Bloomberg. The complaint was originally submitted on July 29th. The exact details of the case await examination, but the plaintiff is identified as HTC Europe, which filed documents through the High Court of Justice, Chancery Division in London.

An HTC Europe spokesman has declined to comment; an Apple spokeswoman, Trudy Muller, has yet to respond to any inquiries. Corporations are frequently silent in matters such as this, since any statements can have legal ramifications.

Apple won a crucial victory in its patent disputes with HTC on July 15th, when the International Trade Commission found HTC to be violating two Apple patents. HTC has vowed to appeal, but now faces the looming possibility of a US import ban. It recently bought S3 Graphics at a value of about $300 million with the express purpose of defending the legal status of its products. It also recently stated a willingness to talk with Apple, although the UK filing may be an attempt to balance out its negotiating position.

By Electronista Staff