HTC Could Face U.S. Import Ban Tomorrow

The six-member panel of the International Trade Commission will announce its decision on whether HTC violated two Apple patents tomorrow, reports CNN FORTUNE.

HTC, the leading smartphone vendor in the U.S., could face an import ban if the panel rules against the company. In July, a preliminary ruling by an administrative law judge found that the company had infringed on Apple's patents. HTC then filed its appeal which will be decided upon tomorrow.

According to FOSS Patents, the two patents in question appear to be at Android's core and this decision could have serious consequences for the Android operating system.


"Google's Android mobile operating system is in serious trouble," Mueller wrote after last summer's ruling. "It's hard to see how any Android device could not infringe [the patents], or how companies could work around them."

At the height of the holiday season, an ITC import ban of HTC devices into the U.S. would be horrible news for company. FORTUNE notes that HTC shares have fallen to their lowest level in nearly a year and half on the news.

We'll let you know what happens tomorrow...

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