If your day wasn’t crammed full of patent litigation news already (and when is it ever?) then prepare for a doozie. Apple’s patent lawsuit against HTC, supposedly over early this year, has caused the International Trade Commission to delay shipments of HTC One X and EVO 4G LTE phones in US customs. The Now Network has confirmed that the EVO 4G LTE will miss its scheduled release date of March 18th (this Friday).

Here’ the official statement:

The U.S. availability of the HTC EVO 4G LTE has been delayed.  HTC is working to resolve this issue and appreciates your patience as they work to get products into Sprint channels. We can’t provide specific timing for product availability at this time and we appreciate your patience as HTC works to get products on store shelves as soon as possible.

There’s no telling how long the ITC’s investigation will last, and certainly not what conclusion they’ll reach. Presumably if the phones are found not to violate Apple’s singular software patent, the devices will be released to the carriers and eventually the customers. Should the ITC rule against HTC, the company will probably send out yet another software update to re-comply with the ruling.

It’s interesting that this ITC ruling in Apple’s favor, now nearly five months old, is being enacted just as two major Android devices have hit the market. It’s also notable that other, lower-profile HTC phones like T-Mobile’s HTC One S haven’t been affected. Consider that T-Mobile is the only major US carrier to go without the iPhone. Of course that’s merely speculation. Wink wink.

[device id=2480]

[via Android Police]

23 COMMENTS

  1. I don’t know who to be more pissed off at: apple for inability to compete with “The People’s” phone, the communist government, or Sprint for knowingly releasing a phone that was held at customs?

    • It seems to be more of an HTC issue than a Sprint one.  The new HTC One X which was already on sale through AT&T is also under the same investigation and the sales for that device have stopped for the time being.

    • what do you mean, “Sprint knowingly releasing a phone that was held at customs”? Sprint didn’t “release” anything

      •  He likely means they announced a date and took preorders without being able to fulfill them.

    • WELL TO ANSWER THAT…..@JEDAROJR….STEVE JOBS LOVED THE COMP…THAT’S WHY HE NEVER MADE AN ATTEMPT TO EMBARRASS HIMSELF…AND I WOULD SAY FUCK THE GOV’T IN MANY WAYS DUE TO THIS FUCKERY….AND SPRINT IM PRETTY SURE HAD THEY SAID “WE ARE HAVING PROBLEMS AT THE U.S CUSTOMS AND WE ARE PUSHING BACK THE SHIPMENTS AND WE ARENT SURE ABOUT THE NEW RELEASE DATES”…..ALL OF US AS CONSUMERS WOULD’VE FRET, AND SCURRIED AWAY AND WENT SEARCHING FOR A NEW DEVICE OR IPHONE 5…BUT…..I GOT PATIENCE, FUCK APPLE

  2. When the HTC EVO 4G LTE was approved by the FCC, why was the patent issue not addressed at this time?  I just do not understand if it had to go through approvals, why this issue was not previously addressed before it was posted and we as consumers were allowed to purchase the device as if there were no issues.  Considering the grand scale of the legal issues, it would be unreasonable that Sprint was unaware of this pending problem prior to May 15, 2012!

    •  Also, how does it take any more than 5 minutes to text a phone number, address, and email to the Evo 4G LTE and see if it doesn’t automatically turn them into links?

      Why the ____ is this going to take days or weeks+?

  3. I’m being slowly and surely turned away from Apple here. Your market share would be bigger if you learned to share.

    • If you noticed since Mr jobs passed away…..that dickhead of an engineer has been fuckin with alot of shiit steve hasn’t even tampered with now this dick, is gonna be the downfall of apple…..mark my words…..#teamEvO 

  4. Apple has got to be really scared to keep resorting to legal action to slow the competition.  I will NEVER buy an iPhone. 

    •  Because it’s dual. Just like all 4G LTE phones coming to the US are (including the Galaxy S3 and iPhone 5)… all dual-core S4 snapdragons.

      • Type your comment here.The GS3 review link on upper right says its an Exynos quad core. Wondering what carrier and if I should cancel Evo LTE and wait. 

      • quad cores are not compatible with lte so really its just a choice of which phone U want

  5. You can always call and complain to the ITC and ask them why they are acting as a tool of corporatism for apple computers.  Their decision has angered and affected 1000’s of american consumers.  Consumers who pay taxes to fund this department.  
    US ITC Public Affairs Officer:Peg O’Laughlin202.205.1819

  6. Just received an email from Best Buy stating my preorder Release date changed to 5/23/12.  Just FYI for you Apple Fanboy… The iphone killa will be 5 days late….

    •  The iphone killa? the last iphone was released almost a year ago and a new one is due out in a few months. So even if this phone is still better than the iphone 5, the iphone will still become the most popular and talked about phone. Just incase you call me an “apple fanboy” I pre-ordered this phone and am very mad over the delays.

  7. another reason why I ate apple there so arregant and annoying they think they own the world apple is lame and eexpensive

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