Last year we reported that Apple had won a single patent case against HTC at the US International Trade Commission. The patent involved the ability of phones to automatically turn email addresses and telephone numbers into hyperlinks.
At the time, HTC described the patent issue as “a small UI experience” and said it would soon remove this functionality from all its phones.
However, the ruling blocked any HTC phones that infringed the patent from being imported after April 2012 - and US customs has now intervened to block the onward distribution of the new HTC One X and the HTC EVO 4G LTE in the United States.
Today HTC has issued a statement that says “HTC confirmed the US availability of the HTC One X and HTC EVO 4G LTE has been delayed due to a standard U.S. Customs review of shipments that is required after an ITC exclusion order. We believe we are in compliance with the ruling and HTC is working closely with Customs to secure approval.”