HTC’s rapid-rise might be radically curtailed due to litigation (most notably over patent infringement) spurred on by Apple.
Protecting patents is one thing; suing everyone else (akin to Microsoft both getting sued and going after every other firm that threatened their dominance) essentially equates to the ‘cost of doing business’ (i.e., whatever it takes…)
From The Electronic Times: http://goo.gl/gYHZm