U.S. Trade Commission Investigating Apple

　　The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) said it has voted to initiate an investigation into possible patent infringement by Apple products, including iPhones, iPads and Macs.

　　In a statement issued Tuesday (Nov. 14), the USITC said its investigation is based on a complaint filed by Aqua Connect Inc. and Strategic Technology Partners LLC, software companies based in Orange, Calif. The complaint, which was filed Oct. 10, alleges that Apple products violate patents held by the two companies, the USITC said.

　　Aqua Connect and Strategic Technology Partners have requested that the USITC issue a temporary exclusion order and a temporary cease and desist order based on a motion for temporary relief and that the USITC ultimately issue a limited exclusion order and a cease and desist order, the USITC said. Such rulings could presumably bar Apple from importing into the U.S. products that are found to infringe the patents at issue.

　　According to the company's website, Aqua Connect offers software that allows organizations to deliver macOS as a remote desktop service to users on any device.

　　In addition to the Apple products mentioned above, the investigation includes possible patent infringement by iPods and Apple TV.

　　The USITC said it would set a target date for completion of the investigation within 45 days.

　　Apple did not immediately respond to request for comment.

　　Last week, Corephotonics, an Israeli maker of dual-lens camera technologies for smartphones, filed suit against Apple, alleging patent infringement by iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 8 Plus, according a report by the Apple news site Macrumors.