Google has backed HTC, its smartphone manufacturer, after the Taiwanese company was sued for patent infringement by Apple. The move sets the stage for a major battle between Apple and Google, formerly close partners, in the smartphone market. Apple has accused HTC of infringing 20 hardware and software patents related to the "user interface, underlying architecture and hardware" of the iPhone and cites the Nexus One, the Google-branded phone launched by the internet search company in January. The Nexus One and several other new touchscreen phones made by HTC and other companies use the free Android operating system developed by Google. Android represents the biggest commercial threat to the dominance of the iPhone. The Nexus One, made by HTC to Google's specifications, has been hailed as the first phone to rival the iPhone's intuitive touchscreen controls and features. Apple has sold more than 40 million iPhones since its introduction in 2007. Google is selling the Nexus One directly to consumers from a website, becoming a direct rival to Apple as a smartphone vendor for the first time. A Google spokeswoman said: "We are not a party to this lawsuit. However, we stand behind our Android operating system and the partners who have helped us to develop it." One alleged patent infringement relates to a technology that enables the phone's touchscreen to detect more than one finger touch at a time, allowing a user to zoom in or out by spreading their fingers apart or pinching them together. Google released this software feature on the Nexus One last month.
News Source :- http://business.timesonline.co.uk/
<< Back to news...