mobileu.co.uk

Apple steps up smartphone patent battle with Nokia

Following Nokia's filing of a lawsuit against iPhone manufacturer Apple, the latter has launched its own action against the Finnish mobile phone giant. While Nokia claims Apple infringed ten of its patents with the iPhone, Apple has counterclaimed that Nokia attempted to copy the smartphone and infringed ten of its patents in the process.

Apple's complaint, filed in the US Distrct Court of Delaware last week, specifically cites Nokia's S60, E71 and 5310 models and lays out the company's desire for Nokia's complaint to be dismissed completely and for damages to be paid for its alleged infringements.

It accuses Nokia of resorting to copying the iPhone after failing to come up with its own "converged device" combining a mobile phone, digital media player and web browser. It cites a quote from Nokia's executive vice-president, Anssi Vanjoki, who told 2007's GoPlay event that "[if] there is something good in the world, we copy with pride".

"True to this quote, Nokia has demonstrated its willingness to copy Apple’s iPhone ideas as well as Apple’s basic computing technologies, all while demanding Apple pay for access to Nokia’s purported standards essential patent. Apple seeks redress for this behaviour," concludes the lawsuit.