The carrier told that not even substitutes for HTC Android devices suggested by Apple included Android smartphones made by other manufacturers. Apple only designated operating systems that were alternatives to Android, such as Microsoft Windows, BlackBerry OS and, of course, iOS for iPhone.

T-Mobile added that HTC, among other Android producers, had a unique relationship. The carrier launched the first Android-based phone with the G1 of HTC in October 2008. it has also been the host of other Google phones like the Nexus One or the Nexus S. one of the most important devices T-Mobile prepares for the holidays in the absence of an iPhone will be the Amaze 4G.

T-Mobile suggested instead that it wanted a transition of four to six months to escape the dependency on any supposed infringing hardware. Its argument was mainly recasting the amicus brief in the Apple-Samsung lawsuit, excepting its argument related to preservation of holiday sales.

When it comes to Google, it has been significantly more aggressive and intended to obtain a denial of the same ban no matter what the terms would be. Adopting an ideological tone, Google sees Android as a necessary force and provides room and choice for alternate application stores like the Amazon Appstore and developers as well. It portrayed Apple as over-controlling its platform. It also suggested that Apple, being the largest maker of individual US smartphones, would only worsen competition and could create a monopoly if HTC was forced to leave the market.

In the absence of HTC there would be serious implications on the market, such as increase of prices, diminishment of services, a decrease of the consumers’ access to the technology and reduced innovation, said Google. As the US military was using Android-based devices, a reduced presence of Android may hurt public safety. Other effects refer to ceasing networks development in the absence of partnerships between phone producers and carriers, while innovation itself would suffer.

It is doubtful that the arguments may have any impact. Neither argument questions the validity of the claims for patent violation. However, they maintain the idea that market requirements outlined the disadvantages of an eventual duplication of Apple’s technology. Excepting the suggested transition of T-Mobile, neither had a path getting HTC out of the believed infringement and deny the stress for a ban.

ITC might accept some parts of HTC’s appeal, but Apple could still get some of its claims upheld and would end up the same way as if it won the war upright. It is possible to see HTC pushed into a certain settlement with the hardware taken off the market while waiting for its own counterattacks to pass through the ITC and courts as well, where they might not be successful.

No mention was made about what phones would be subject to this upgrade, but it seems that high-end phones are candidates thanks to being closest to the requirements of Android 4.0, which are dual-core and a high resolution output. Such phones would be the Amaze 4G and Evo 3D, as well as the Raider 4G or the Sensation and Sensation XE. The list could also include fast single-core phones such as the Sensation XL.

Unlike its predecessor Android 2.3, the 4.0 version of the operating system is believed to be more demanding and it seems it has no guaranteed upgrade path. The Nexus S and other major phones indicate the common baseline as being a 1GHz single-core processor.

Image: Google Android 4.0 Home Screen

Android 2.3 will offer the Thunderbolt official support for the front camera beyond customized applications, but also better power management, integrated voice over IP calling and an even better media framework with support for AAC encoding and overall WebM support.

HTC is thought to have encountered problems with the initial production processes for the future tablet, allowing mass production to be postponed for over one month. However, sources haven’t cited any specific reason for these production difficulties.

The company initially promised that its Flyer will be launched in April for UK customers. Best Buy has also confirmed its plans to release a Wi-Fi version, but refused to give a time frame for availability. The tablet is currently being reworked in the US market as well as the Evo View 4G, which sports WiMAX connectivity from Sprint, even if it is still unknown if the newest information is referring to both gadgets.

HTC’s Merge has been the subject of multiple leaks but a rumoured late-2010 launch on Verizon did never come to life. There were some rumors saying that the phone had been delayed in order to have the hardware reconfigured for the LTE network of Verizon, but the handset has never been included in the initial 4G promotions of the carrier.

Some images of the Merge reveal a QWERTY slider. Some reports point to a Snapdragon CPU of second generation and a 3.7-inch touchscreen as main features. The display resolution is subject to debate, but some sources say it would be 800×480 or even higher.

There is no information about the Verizon launch being completely abandoned or only delayed. Information about the Alltel launch, including availability dates and pricing, is also expected to come in the near future.

Sprint’s decision is not necessarily a particular and definitive sign but it reminds of the ad strategy Verizon itself adopted for the Droid of Motorola. It initially launched the Droid with a series of ads mocking Apple’s device but almost ceased with the comparisons as soon as Verizon and Apple began the testing and co-development of the iPhone.

On the launch of the Evo Shift 4G, Sprint was championing its advantages, but lately changed the tone in public comments regarding the iPhone. CEO Dan Hesse, as well as other representatives, has been deferent to Apple and declined any comment excepting the desire of the company for the presence of the iPhone in its network. Unofficial expectations are that Verizon secured a quasi-exclusivity on a CDMA iPhone 4, while Sprint and probably T-Mobile with a GSM version could have the iPhone 5 in their networks.

Huang said that it was great to compete against the iPhone and iPad, because those devices were really amazing. NVIDIA’s chief also estimated that both his team and the company’s partners were committed to compete with Apple and do a very good job.

The remarks NVIDIA’s CEO made have come after some of the tablet plans common to Google and NVIDIA had been delayed. Some companies, such as ICD and Compal, had been presenting Android tablets based on Tegra 2 hardware early in January. However, the first mainstream Android tablet did not come until September, when the Galaxy Tab of Samsung began to reach Europe. The first significant tablet based on NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 hardware was the Toshiba Folio 100, which began shipping only last week.

The year-long interval allowed Apple to announce, ship and mark high sales for its iPad tablet. The device had 95.5 percent of the total tablet market as of last summer. The position Apple detains now is expected to decline as soon as the Galaxy Tab will expand and companies like Motorola, LG, HTC and others will launch new Android tablets in the CES and around the event. Their prospects are still unknown until Google will unveil Honeycomb, its first tablet-ready version of the Android operating system.

The new device is expected to represent overall sweeping upgrades. Thus, it would move up to 14.4Mbps HSPA on networks that could support such a speed, as well as an eight-megapixel camera. It would be using the Gingerbread version of Android (2.3) and is supposed to be extremely thin. Its thickness may be compared to that of a classic iPod nano, thinner than most smartphones. An internal storage of 16GB, Bluetooth 3.0 and 802.11n Wi-Fi are expected to port over from Samsung’s Galaxy S.

The launch of the device is scheduled for February next year, coinciding with the Mobile World Congress that will take place in Barcelona. It is not usual for Samsung to ship phones presented at the show very soon after the event, but the company reserves the show for what it estimates to be flagships like the Wave. Since the company would launch its device sooner, it is believed that Samsung hopes to pre-empt the iPhone’s usual mid-year update and also any possible rivals coming from Motorola and HTC.

Although unconfirmed, the details corroborate field reports that mention small as well as non-existent lines, even at retail stores belonging to Microsoft. Selling 40,000 devices makes a significant launch but well behind other important device launches and definitely behind rates reached by most rivals. For example, Apple sold about 273,000 iPhones in only two days on its debut in June 2007 and sells now nearly as many handsets per day worldwide. Another competitor, Google, sells at least 200,000 Android phones per day.

Analyst Michael Cote, founder of Cote Collaborative, said the low numbers are a consequence of Microsoft’s decision of launching on a Monday. Most Android devices and Apple equally choose a day at the end of the week, most usually on Friday or Saturday, when working people can afford to take some time off to queue up. Cote suggested that despite about $500 million invested in marketing worldwide, many customers could not afford to devote some time to this launch.

The analyst also remarked that Microsoft’s decision of rushing the launch and having as many handsets as possible may have affected its chances rather than helping. Some buyers hold off due to the absence of copy-and-paste text. According to Cote, another reason for customers to be indecisive was the simultaneous launch of four phones and other being promised by the end of this year. Although people in his studies have appreciated the choice, they would have wanted simpler choices, like between devices with or without a keyboard.

Microsoft said it did not expect an immediate turnaround as Windows Phone 7 was in effect starting fresh. The company gave no estimate of how soon it was supposed to bounce back and recover years of decline.

Whether or not the users will be able to uninstall the V Cast Apps icon was not mentioned by the carrier, although it has emphasized that the store would not replace Android Market. The carrier has, under certain circumstances, loaded software that could not be installed.

The decision of loading the store about half a year after the launch of the phone might draw criticism from Verizon. Users also complained when they discovered they could not use Google search widgets on Samsung’s Fascinate, even if it was downloaded later. Google has many times stressed that Android was an open platform but had to defend giving up control to carriers that often put limits to control of actual users. The company has said that putting restrictions on the influence of carriers would affect the concept of openness. However, it has not said what open experience could have a user with even the stock G2 preventing custom firmware.

Apple has also been criticized for imposing limits to choices for searches and app stores. Recent restrictions on Android-based devices have in some cases left iPhones with more options, like unofficial support for jailbroken firmware and default search engines.