NEW YORK, Oct. 17 (Kyodo) — The U.S. International Trade Commission issued a preliminary ruling Monday stating that Apple Inc. has not infringed patents held by Taiwan's electronic manufacturer HTC Corp.
In a complaint filed with the commission in May last year, HTC sought a ban on the import to the United States and sale there of iPhones, iPads and other Apple devices, claiming the devices, assembled overseas, violated multiple patents held by HTC.
A final ruling is expected in February, the Reuters news service said.
HTC, a major manufacturer of smartphones carrying Google Inc.'s operating software Android, has been involved in an intensifying patent war with Apple.
Samsung Electronics Co. has also filed patent-related complaints against Cupertino, California-based computer giant.