HTC responds to Apple's lawsuit, will fight

HTC has finally responded about the patent-infringement lawsuit Apple filed against it two weeks ago. In the lawsuit Apple alleged that HTC was infringing on 20 patents concerning the iPhone user interface and the underlying hardware and architecture. "We can sit by and watch competitors steal our patented inventions, or we can do something about it. We've decided to do something about it," Steve Jobs said. "We think competition is healthy, but competitors should create their own original technology, not steal ours."

Today Jason Mackenzie, vice president of sales and marketing at HTC America replied, "We strongly disagree with Apple's actions and plan to use all the legal tools available to defend ourselves. Choice is important for customers, and healthy competition is instrumental to that."

Apple's filing cites twelve HTC phones, including five Google Android handsets and seven that use Microsoft's Windows Mobile software. Apple is requesting compensation for the infringement and attorneys' fees, as well as an injunction against products and services that infringe the asserted patents.

While Google wasn't named in the lawsuit they issued a statement saying they "stand behind our Android operating system and the partners who have helped us to develop it." Google declined to tell Forbes if they would assist HTC in fighting the lawsuit by lending their teams of lawyers that specialize in antitrust and IP issues. "Given the seriousness of the case and the allegations, we expect it to be a long, drawn-out process," Mackenzie said.
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