HTC fans in the USA will have some hard time waiting for the latest HTC Android devices – the HTC One X and HTC EVO 4G – due to an imports delay imposed by Apple.
The two new smartphone models were to be released on the US market shortly.
This mess was caused by Apple and more importantly by an exclusion order against HTC won by Apple at the ITC last December, which puts a ban on HTC devices infringing Apple’s patents. The ban went into force on April 19.
The ITC ruling from last year found that HTC and the Android messaging app and browser infringed on one of Apple’s patents and at the time HTC said that they would provide a work around for the issue.
HTC has confirmed the issue stating “The U.S. availability of the HTC One X and HTC EVO 4G LTE has been delayed due to a standard U.S. Customs review of shipments that is required after an ITC exclusion order. We believe we are in compliance with the ruling and HTC is working closely with Customs to secure approval.”
The US Customs Office now holds shipments of the HTC One X and HTC EVO 4G until it concludes its investigation on whether HTC has complied with the ruling and has provided a work around for the patent infringing issue.
Right now there’s no information on whether (if at all) the devices will be released and officially launched on the US market.
Don’t you hate it when companies fight like this?
Source: Geeky Gadgets