Decision Looms in Apple, HTC Patent Dispute (AAPL, GOOG, MMI)

The US International Trade Commission is expected to issue a ruling on Wednesday in a patent dispute between Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) and Taiwan’s HTC Corp., a smartphone maker that uses the Android operating system from Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG). The expected ruling follows a decision last week in Germany in a case filed by Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. (NYSE: MMI) granting Motorola a preliminary injunction against Apple for patent infringement.

In the Apple-HTC case, Apple won a preliminary decision earlier this summer that HTC had in fact infringed two of the Cupertino company’s patents. The full commission has been reviewing the case and it is that decision that is expected to come on Wednesday.

Regardless of which company wins, the review process could go on for some time. The next level of appeal is to President Obama, and no matter what he decides, the case could then go on to a federal court.