That’s when the International Trade Commission will rule on HTC”s appeal of a verdict in a case against Apple. In that case, a judge declared that HTC products infringed on two Apple patents. If that ruling is upheld, it could be a huge blow to HTC.

From CNN:

In the worst case scenario for HTC, the trade commission could ban the import of its Android phones at the height of the holiday selling season, and its 25% U.S. smartphone market share could shrink to 0.0%.

Even more striking is what this could mean for Android. HTC is mostly just putting some apparatus around the Android OS and that’s what’s really on trial here. If HTC loses, it could have a domino effect for the rest of the non-Apple smartphone industry in that it would set precedent. So you’d have Apple ripping on Android after you’ve already had Microsoft exacting penalties from handset makers, saying Android violates Microsoft patents as well.

Imagine buying an Android phone and your money going to the handset maker, Google, Apple, Microsoft, and your carrier. Good job supporting the economy.