The US International Trade Commission has decided that Apple is not violating patents held by S3 Graphics. It’s bad news for HTC, which agreed to pay VIA Technologies and WTI Investment a total of $300 million for the company earlier this year.
HTC’s acquisition was apparently intended to give it added weight in the ‘mobile patent wars’; the ITC had previously ruled in an initial determination that Apple apparently infringed two patents from S3.
In a statement, HTC said “In light of recent development, HTC will work closely in good faith with VIA Technologies and WTI Investment International to conduct holistic re-evaluation of the S3 Graphics acquisition.”
HTC also says S3 Graphics will appeal against the ITC decision.