HTC Responds to Apple's Suit With Disagreement

Cell phone maker HTC has responded to the patent infringement suit recently filed by Cupertino-based Apple.

At the beginning of March, Apple filed a suit accusing HTC of infringements on multiple Apple-owned patents awarded between 1995 and 2010. While some related to Windows Mobile devices, most of the infringements related to HTC devices running Google's Android OS and at the time, Engadget's Nilay Patel said that Apple was going after Android as much as it was HTC.

"Some of these patents are from 15 years ago and cover OS-level behavior, so it's hard to see how they can relate only to HTC's implementation of Android and not Google's OS as a whole," wrote Patel.

HTC today took the chance to respond to Apple's claims by stating it disagrees with Apple's actions and pointing out how much the company has contributed to the smartphone industry.

"HTC disagrees with Apple’s actions and will fully defend itself. HTC strongly advocates intellectual property protection and will continue to respect other innovators and their technologies as we have always done, but we will continue to embrace competition through our own innovation as a healthy way for consumers to get the best mobile experience possible," said Peter Chou, chief executive officer, HTC Corporation.

"From day one, HTC has focused on creating cutting-edge innovations that deliver unique value for people looking for a smartphone. In 1999 we started designing the XDA and T-Mobile Pocket PC Phone Edition, our first touch-screen smartphones, and they both shipped in 2002 with more than 50 additional HTC smartphone models shipping since then."

HTC goes on to list all of the awards it has received for innovation over the years but mentions little else about the lawsuit.

Check out the full press release here.