Taiwanese handset maker HTC Corp narrowly lost a patent battle with Apple Inc on Monday, as the International Trade Commission found that HTC had infringed on one of Apple's patents.

The ITC imposed a formal import ban on any HTC phones that infringe on the patent, starting April 19, 2012.

An administrative law judge at the commission had ruled in July that HTC infringed two Apple patents in making its Android smartphones.

But the final ruling from the ITC found that HTC has only infringed one of the two patents.

Apple initially accused HTC of infringing 10 patents but six were dropped from the case. The ITC judge then ruled that HTC infringed two of the remaining four.

Apple inc. Administrative law Android Intellectual property law