In Apple's 10-K annual report filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that was posted yesterday, it notes that Apple plans to "Vigorously" defend itself from a lawsuit filed last week by Nokia.
Nokia is claiming infringement of different cellular and Wi-Fi patents by Apple's iPhone.
"The complaint alleges that these patents are essential to one or more of the GSM, UMTS and 802.11 wireless communications standards, and that the Company has the right to license these patents from plaintiff on fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory ("FRAND") terms and conditions. Plaintiff seeks unspecified FRAND compensation and other relief. The Company's response to the complaint is not yet due. The Company intends to defend the case vigorously."
In Nokia's press release announcing the lawsuit, they noted that about 40 other companies, including "virtually all the leading mobile device vendors," had licensed the intellectual property, but Apple had refused to agree to the terms for licensing.
jmia
October 28, 2009 at 3:16pm
Apple's always vigorously defended/protected it's own patents and innovations from other companies. Now the shoe is on the other foot, so to say. Nokia does most likely own the patents to at least some of the tech used in the iPhone. After all Nokia has been developing mobile phones in one way or another since the 80's (http://www.newlaunches.com/entry_images/1107/12/nokia_timeline.php) and has been the market leader in the mobile phone field for most of the time. Apple on the other hand is a newcomer to the mobile market and although they've done exceptionally well in the couple of years they've been in the game, it' rather unlikely that they've managed to completely re-invent the mobile phone from scratch! The fact that most other cell-phone manufacturers have come to some kind of understanding with Nokia over these patents it would only seem fair that Apple, using the same technology also do the same. It would be an interesting result if this court case would end up with Apple victorious. I believe they'll settle this somehow, either with money or with some kind of "tech swap" with Nokia getting some of Apple's treasured secrets in exchange for the technology developed by Nokia over the years.
