Google offers support to HTC

Google support

Following Apple bringing a lawsuit against HTC for patent infringement, Google has offered its support to the Taiwanese mobile maker - its smartphone manufacturer.

Google offering its support HTC is set to bring a new battle between Google and Apple, who were formerly close partners.

Apple's suit was filed with both the US International Trade Commission and the US District Court in Delaware. It seeks to prohibit HTC from selling, marketing or distributing infringing products in the US.

"We think competition is healthy, but competitors should create their own original technology, not steal ours," said Steve Jobs, Apple chief executive.HTC denied the allegations. "HTC is not only an innovator in mobile technology but also an owner of many patents. We take American and international patent rights protection seriously," the firm said in a statement.

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, the British paper The Times reports.

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."

Patent infringement

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.

The iPhone had around 14 percent of the global smartphone market share in 2009, according to Gartner, the research group. Phones running Android comprised only 3.9 percent of the market, but were growing fast. Apple lost some share to Android phones in the fourth quarter and is coming under pressure to compete.

This latest lawsuit is likely to see the battle between Google and Apple heat up even more in Silicon Valley as just 10 miles separates these two conglomerates.

Jodie Humphries

Jodie Humphries graduated from Bath Spa University with a BA Hons in Creative Writing in 2008. She has worked for GDS Publishing for the digital group since July 2009. She has previous experience with writing for the web, running her own website since April 2007.

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