HTC Corp. has issued a statement claiming that it had not infringe Apple iPhone-related patents and will vigorously fight to defend its rights and intellectual property. The company also said that the lawsuit would under no circumstances affect its short-term financial performance. Meanwhile, Google, the developer of Android that powers HTC phones said it was not a part of the legal action.

“HTC is a mobile technology innovator and patent holder that has been very focused over the past 13 years on creating many of the most innovative smartphones. HTC Corp. values U.S. and international patent rights and will work with in the U.S. Judicial System to protect its own innovations and rights,” an official statement from HTC reads.

HTC said that it believed that consumer choice is a key component to success in the smartphone industry and this is best achieved through multiple suppliers providing a variety of mobile experiences. HTC also offered customers a uniquely-HTC experience through HTC Sense and its broad portfolio of own-brand smartphones, which may mean that HTC believes that the Sense interface and Android operating system is the reason for the lawsuit.

Google itself, which lead the development of Android operating system that powers Sense-based phones from HTC, said that it was definitely not a party of the legal fight between Apple and HTC, but it would stand behind Android as well as its partners. Considering the fact that Google’s own Nexus One is made by HTC, the search giant may indeed become a part of the legal action.

“We are not a party to this lawsuit. However, we stand behind our Android operating system and the partners who have helped us to develop it,” an official from Google is reported to have said.

HTC also stated that it did not believe this lawsuit poses a short-term material impact to its business nor will it affect its Q1 2010 guidance.

Tags: HTC, Apple, Google, Android, Nexus One