While the two Silicon Valley companies were once on good terms, they began encroaching on one another's turf in recent years and are now fighting to take the lead in the fast-growing mobile software and device market.

WSJ: Apple Makes a Wrong Turn as Users Blast Map Switch

We feel that putting too much effort in that would take away from our main focus, being a whole-screen device.

ENGADGET: HTC talks smartphone design: from inception to final product

While he's cryptic about what that means, he does note that there would be a shift away from valuing gross margins -- in other words, the company may take a hit on profits to make its device sales sing.

ENGADGET