How can you tell when a company has "arrived" in the world of consumer electronics? It's not just about getting great reviews in blogs and magazines - what arguably matters most is the respect and fear of your peers. Thankfully for HTC, nothing says they have earned their competitors respect better than Apple's recent attempt to block US exports of their latest flagship to - the One X - on the basis of patent infringement.
Fortunately for my American Lady Geeks, Apple's attempts to prevent you from getting your hands on a One X were thwarted by the kind of last-minute emergency lawyering that is rarely seen outside of prime-time TV dramas. This means that you, dear reader can enjoy the same device that I am currently using without fear of empty shelves, delayed orders and general heartache.
And what a device it is. No wonder Apple are spooked: the One X is one of the most credible alternatives to the iPhone released to date - indeed it matches or exceeds just about every feature of Apple's device. There has rarely been a better advert for switching to Android.
Not only does it boast a lightning-fast processor for all your multitasking needs, it has a gorgeous camera that can shoot continuous HD video that somehow ends up looking glorious in almost any light. It's almost impossible to take a bad looking photo with this handset - and believe me, if anybody can take a bad photo, it's me.
This is all boosted by the fact that HTC have started to take music seriously. As well as boasting a very roomy 32GB worth of storage, the device features HTC's recently acquired "Beats Audio" enhancement technology. Gone are the days of the tinny bassline ringing out at the back of the bus - the One X makes listening to music on the phone sound almost as good as a HiFi system.
It's not going to be for everybody: its designers were obviously a believer in the principle that "bigger is better",which for me is ideal (4.6 inch screen is perfect for me) but won't suit those looking for a dantier model. The call reception on it isn't the best and - and I'm well aware I might be in the minority here - I'm not a big fan of HTC's 'Sense' interface. Give me good old ICS Android any day.
But there's no doubt it looks great, and with a body is made of a comfortable grippy plastic that's easy to hang on to and (unlike another well-known phone) it's unlikely to fly out of your hands and smash to the ground into little glass splinters.
When placed alongside other great handsets like the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and the Nokia Lumia, the One X shows that the age of the iPhone Killer might finally be upon us. If you're considering upgrading your iPhone in the next few weeks I'd urge you to listen to Apple - the One X is a real contender.