It looks like the folks from HTC just can’t catch a break, even with their new flagship smartphone. After announcing the HTC One with tons of attention and eager buyers it sadly faced a few small delays. Now however, it appears to be in more trouble after a court in the Netherlands has awarded Nokia a preliminary injunction on the handset over the microphone.

It really is sad that the smallest of things can cause such a stir in the mobile market these days, and that’s exactly what’s going on here. Nokia has been granted an injunction against the HTC One by the Amsterdam district court regarding a set of high amplitude microphones in the smartphone.

Apparently the HTC One uses the exact same microphone in the handset as the entire range of Nokia Lumia devices, and that was enough for a judge to issue the preliminary injunction. Apparently HTC didn’t license the special microphone. Nokia went as far as to teardown both devices and provide an image and serial/model numbers to the court proving the fact, but we find this a little petty.

Nokia-begins-legal-battles-with-HTC-over-high-amplitude-mic-1-580x226

The same manufacturer makes microphones for both HTC and Nokia, but this specific model was built for Nokia only. Either this was a mistake, mix-up, or something else. Either way this is one more small issue for HTC that could cause a setback – and this device is supposed to be their savior and money maker for 2013. HTC was disappointed by the decision but we haven’t heard any additional details at this time. The U.S. launch should carry on as expected.

[via SlashGear]

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13 COMMENTS

  1. People who are eager to get their hands on a HTC One won’t simply switch over to a Nokia and its Windows phone, but too bad Nokia doesn’t understand that. Perhaps if they impeded the sale of smart phones form a market hungry giant like Samsung, they would probably gain consumers whom wanted an iPhone alternative. Just saying.

  2. Update: this was just false news, nokia never went after HTC only the microphone supplier becaus study breached a 1 year exclusivity contract, and this is not gonna impact HTC shipments.

    • Your comment is complete and utter drivel. How is Nokia being pathetic protecting it’s own developed tech? This isn’t a standard microphone – going by tests we know that Nokia’s HAAC recording it pretty much the best there is out there on a mobile phone. It’s patented technology with no FRAND or other licensing – how is it pathetic for Nokia to protect their developed tech? The microphones aren’t a standard component – time, money and resouces have gone into their development.
      Now, if you want to do a PROPER check, look for the audio comparisons of 808 PureView to the HTC One (Lumia 920 only has a single mono HAAC microphone currently activated with stereo coming with a software update, 808 has 2 stereo HAAC).
      I could barely even read your last chunk of text…it’s about as clear as a zoomed in Ultrapixel photo – illegible!

      • I’ve made microphones, there is no space sience, my father dragged me along his concerts and he’s a lead singer of his band, for 25 Years. Its old news and tech. I red more and more about it, I know its not as petty as I initially though, they have some grounds on it, and I’m sure HTC didn’t dig their own grave on purpose. Ultra pixel camera has been updated from prerelease to final long ago – look at this review ( http://www.androidpolice.com/2013/04/12/htc-one-deep-dive-review-the-most-important-smartphone-this-year-may-also-be-the-best/#camera-yes-this-is-the-ultrapixel-part ) I have never see such acurate and vivid color reproduction. This phone is all around complete. And a little bit of right brain activity will make you get the last part. I spend 16 hrs every single day researching mobile tech and market, that’s my job, literally. This new mic Nokia says should be in 720. But its the manuf. who screwed up(accidentally or did Samsung pay up again ;-)?) We shall see what goes.

      • You keep making completely pointless comments! How does attending concerts since a young age make you an expert in the technology involved in microphones? Give me your proper name and let me do a google search to see if you’re a worldwise acknowledged microphone expert who knows more about microphones that anyone else, appartently! Sure the basic physics premise will be similar between microphones but the technological implementation varies and that’s where the problem for HTC is – dual membrane tech isn’t standard – especially for smartphones. It’s like saying that a Lada could make a car with an undeclared Bentley engine and say that it’s basically the same thing as one of Lada’s normal engines. It isn’t!
        Any why are you bringing up the camera? That has nothing to do with the microphone issue? Arguably the 808 PureView can equal or trash the HTC One for colour reproduction and low-to-no noise content, but the HTC One falls down with loss of detail if you want to zoom, whereas the 808 PureView gives you scalability from 2MP to 38MP images…both Ultrapixel and PureView pixels have their advantages.
        As for the phone having been ‘finalised’ a long time ago…again, what has that got to do with using proprietary tech that’s not theirs? They weren’t involved in any stage of its development and Nokia has published a fair few times over the past few years about it’s HAAC technology so I fail to see what point you’re trying to make? Why can’t it be HTC greedy to get their hands on some differentiating tech? We all know they’ve been needing it to help their devices stand out from Samsungs. Why do you have to try bringing in the Samsung bogeyman where he doesn’t belong? Samsung aren’t going to bribe STM to put unauthorised tech into other OEMs devices – Samsung have been too busy themselves stealing secrets from their production lines manufacturing parts for other OEMs.
        And what has researching mobile tech/markets all day have to do with you not being able to write a legible paragraph? Surely you know basic spellings, punctuations etc?

  3. Btw, played with Win 8, new IE, the Surface and Pro recently as second try – WOW that is so fresh and old and comfortable experience, I cent believe I bad mouthed it without trying at least twice. But yes, Nokia is trying to survive over HTC’s back – Look at that brothers and sisters lmao, that is so pathetic!boo ! Booo! Someone red carton this !

  4. Talk about biased reporting. “It looks like the folks from HTC just can’t catch a break” Yeah, well they stole someone’s f#$%ing tech. No wonder they can’t “catch a break.”

    “It really is sad that the smallest of things can cause such a stir in the mobile market these days,”

    Haha. Whoever wrote this needs to get a new job.

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