Apple Hits HTC with iPhone Patent Lawsuit

Apple filed a lawsuit against mobile phone maker HTC on Tuesday for allegedly infringing on 20 different iPhone-related patents. The patents in question relate to the iPhone interface, hardware and underlying architecture.

Along with the lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Delaware, Apple also filed a complaint against HTC with the U.S. International Trade Commission.

"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," commented Apple CEO Steve Jobs in a statement. "We think competition is healthy, but competitors should create their own original technology, not steal ours."

Apple has previously promised to defend its patents with whatever means it has at its disposal, which typically means through the legal system.

HTC is known for smartphones such as its Android-based Droid Eris, and the Nexus One that it builds for Google.

HTC hasn't commented on the pending litigation.