Summary Box: Apple suing HTC over iPhone patents, as competition heats up

Summary Box: Apple suing HTC over iPhone patents

THE SUIT: Apple Inc. filed complaints against Taiwanese cell phone maker HTC Corp. on Tuesday, claiming many of the company’s handsets infringe on patents related to its popular iPhone.

WHY IT MATTERS: A number of the handsets listed in the complaints use Google Inc.’s Android software, which is a rising competitor to the iPhone. Apple’s actions show the company is getting tough as more rivals emerge in the increasingly crowded smart phone market.

WHAT COULD HAPPEN: Apple is hoping for court orders blocking U.S. sales of HTC’s Android phones and others it believes violates its patents.