With the Android apparently being the strongest rival of the Apple iPhone OS, it is not surprising that Apple has put legal blocks in the way of HTC’s Android phones – its has filed lawsuits with the US International Trade Commission (ITC), and the US District Court in Delaware, alleging that the HTC Android phones infringe on as many as 20 of Apple’s patents!

Elaborating that the fairly wide-ranging patents violated by HTC Android phones largely include those involving the popular iPhone; and most of them are related to user interface. As such, Apple has urged the ITC, which can prohibit the import of infringing products, to order a complete ban the import of HTC phones from the US.

Though the lawsuit – which shows that the patent system shields veteran companies and reprimands nonentity rivals – chiefly summons popular Android phones like the Droid Eris and the Google Nexus One; it also mentions the Windows Mobile-powered Imagio.

In the opinion of experts, in case Apple wins the ITC ruling, either HTC’s phones would be barred from the US; or HTC will have to license Apple’s patents – an option that the iPhone maker might turn down.

Meanwhile, though Android-owner Google is currently not involved in the proceedings, it said in a recent statement: “We stand behind our Android operating system and the partners who have helped us to develop it.”