HTC Delays US Launch Of New Smartphone Due To Customs Review
May 16 2012 - 3:54AM
Dow Jones News
HTC Corp. (2498.TW) said Wednesday the launch of a new
smartphone in the U.S. will be delayed, due to a customs review
required after the International Trade Commission ruled late last
year that the Taiwanese handset maker has violated a patent held by
Apple Inc. (AAPL)
The delay, if prolonged, could be another blow to HTC, which had
forecast declines in revenue and profit margins in the second
quarter, as the global smartphone market is getting more
competitive and is increasing dominated by Apple and Samsung
Electronics Co.
In an ITC ruling on Dec. 19, the U.S. trade body issued a
"limited exclusion order", which became effective April 19,
prohibiting the import of HTC phones which carry the technology
that it ruled as having infringed an Apple's patent.
HTC said: "We believe we have worked around our design and is
now in compliance with the ITC ruling, we are cooperating with the
U.S. Customs to speed up the review process."
HTC added it doesn't know how long the review will take and how
shipments will be affected.
As shipments are held up by the customs for review, HTC's EVO 4G
LTE phones, which will be offered by U.S. operator Sprint, won't
hit the shelves on Friday as originally planned.
HTC said there may be a shortage in the U.S. in the future for
the One series, which have been offered by AT&T Inc. since
early April. It said some shipments reached the U.S. ahead of April
19 and were already sold, but any prolonged customs review may
deplete its inventories in the U.S. and disrupt future sales.
-By Aries Poon, Dow Jones Newswires; 886-2-25022557;
aries.poon@dowjones.com
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