A legal broadside was launched by Apple against a chief Google partner in the mobile-phone market. Under the broadside, Apple alleged a number of patent violations in lawsuits against HTC. Taiwan-based HTC is the manufacturer of several phones that operate Google's Android operating system. This also included the Nexus One phone that Google is selling directly to consumers.

On Tuesday, Apple filed two complaints in federal court in Delaware and the U. S. International Trade Commission. It alleged HTC devices, including the Nexus One, infringe a total of 20 Apple patents.

As per the complaints, the patents deal with number of cellphone technologies, everything from power-management functions to a method of unlocking a handset with a finger swipe on a touch screen.

The complaints are still being reviewed by the company, said an HTC spokesman Keith Novak, who added, "HTC values patent rights and their enforcement but is also committed to defending its own technology innovations."

Meanwhile, a Google spokeswoman specified that the company stands behind their Android operating system and the partners who have helped them to develop it; even when the company was not a party in the lawsuit. No comments could be obtained from Apple on whether the suit was aimed at Google.

A hike to 14.4% last year was seen in Apple's share of global smart-phone shipments from nothing when it entered the market almost three years ago, said research firm IDC, which further continued that HTC, which makes smart phones that run both Android and software from Microsoft Corp., accounted for 4.6% of the market in 2009.

Since the Android technology is open source, it means that other companies have the freedom to utilize and modify it; however Google works closely with handset makers like HTC with the aim of helping them customize it for their devices. It also participated in the growth of the Nexus One.

Handset makers, including Samsung Electronics Co. and Motorola Inc are supporting Android.