Guys,
The reason this lawsuit is filed NOW is because Apple just got the patent for multi-touch locked down 2 weeks ago. They were waiting on that because it's the lynch-pin to all the others. Steve Jobs clearly said at the introduction of the iPhone that they had applied for over 300 patents and they would vigorously defend them. Apple now has the legal right to defend themselves now that they officially OWN all the patents involved. In the same way they have had to pay other companies that ownd patents that they infringed on, Apple now is defending their own Intellectual Properties. They learned with windows to lock up patents and pursue them.
They aren't going after HTC because they feel threatened. They are just STARTING with HTC because they are Google's "official" partner. They can't go after Google because Google doesn't sell the OS, they just put it out there and let the manufacturers port it to their phones. They make money off the ads that run not off the OS. Apple can't sue them because they aren't the ones physically implementing the infringement.
You will see them go after every Android and Windows 7 Mobile and Palm phone out there (and maybe some of the pseudo-smart phones) eventually, as well as any computers using Multi-touch and other patents. ESPECIALLY with iPad coming out they are going to make sure they can lock up anything they have. This doesn't mean these companies are going to stop carrying them, what it means is that to continue using these features, they'll have to license them. I don't want to see my Droid handicapped in any way and I think Android is a much better OS because of it's lack of being locked down like the iPhone OS, but at the same time, Motorola and the others should have done due diligence. I think Motorola has tried to avoid the problems by NOT implementing "multi-touch" out of the box. If they add it with 2.1, I think Apple will pursue them.
Whether you agree with the way they are doing it, what they are doing is their right as the patent owners. They legally obtained them and were awarded them by the patent office. All these manufacturers were warned but they hoped Apple wouldn't be awarded the patents. They rolled the dice and now they have to decide how much those features are worth.
Also, to clear up a few things. Prada came AFTER iPhone 1. It's a single touch phone running Windows Mobile 5 or 6 with a pseudo iPhone interface. It was the first "iPhone Killer".
Another thing, None of Apple's patent lawsuits have been "tossed". Microsoft one was settled when Jobs came back and had to do something to fix the mess Amelio had made. Apple dropped the lawsuit in exchange for Microsoft agreeing to supply software and a loan to get out of the money crunch Apple was in in the mid 90's. Apple and HP have never been on opposite sides of the litigation table. Nokia and Apple are still very much in the heat of battle right now. None have been dropped.
Xerox PARC was approached by Apple and given the right to purchase pre IPO stock in exchange for Apple being able to develop a mouse driven GUI. Xerox declined the stock but said they didn't care what Apple developed. Xerox never patented it or used it commercially, only sold it to proprietary custom installs. They eventually tried to sue, after Apple was successful with it and Microsoft released windows and the litigation between Apple and Microsoft heated up. Xerox decided to go after Apple but had their lawsuit tossed because they had no patent and the statute of limitations had expired based on the last time they offered it as a product for sale and the time they filed the suit.
In the past few years, they've been the victim of Patent Trolls more than they've pursued any patents but they made if VERY clear when they announced the iPhone that they wouldn't put up with any patent infringements.
I think Apple is making a mistake in how closed the iPhone system has become and probably how closed the iPad will be too but they have legally done the leg work and they are defending it. I HOPE they don't do the prick thing and refuse to license the technology or charge non-competitive prices to license them. If they do that, then they will open themselves up for non-competitive practice lawsuits. It will be interesting to see what the other manufacturers come up with to compete now.