HTC's Phone Shipment Delay in the U.S. Underscores Why Patent Disputes Suck for Consumers
According to a Reuters report. HTC confirmed the crummy news, saying recently
"the U.S. availability of the HTC One X and HTC EVO 4G LTE have been delayed due to a standard U.S. customs review of shipments that is required after an International Trade Commission exclusion order."
Barring any patent hiccups, HTC's One X smartphone will land in the U.S., but not before going through a customs review.
At the heart of the issue is that patent law oftentimes hurts consumers as companies squabble over their IP portfolios, though that's us being cynical. More specifically, in this case the issue has to do with Apple winning a patent lawsuit against HTC in December. Phones that use the technology covered by said patent are banned from being sold in the U.S., and while HTC claims to have a workaround that wouldn't run afoul of Apple's IP, new phone shipments must be thoroughly reviewed by customs before they're allowed to land on U.S. shores.
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Sitting at customs because of Apple. I want an X but T-Mobile only has the S which to tell you the truth seems to just be an updated Sensation really so I will wait a bit and see if they get it as it is a GSM phone. Oh I got an update for full ICS on the Sensation on T-mous today. I already had it anyway as I run ARHD (Android Revolution Hi-Def), but I had issues for the last week on my wifi radio, which were fixed with the new WIFI radio drop included (and removed as a singular file thanks to XDA) so everything is now perfect in my ICS OS and phone :) |
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I hate this patent system. It needs to be changed dramatically and quickly. Why we the consumers have to pay for the bickering of 2 companies and their issues of whether it looks to much like another phone (granted I that's what this particular case involved but just saying). |
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It is pretty terrible how the patent system is screwed up. I have no doubt that patents have their place but some of the broad concepts that are patented and supported are a bit ridiculous. |
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Just one more illustration of the utter absurdity - and the destructive consequences (for consumers ; for the lawyers it's a blast) - of granting patents on software (mathematical algorithms). But given the interests which run the government, it's extremely unlikely that users will be provided any relief in the near future.... Henri |
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There seems to be a million hoops for everything now a days. Man I sound old lol but its true, this only hurts the consumer. |
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