October 22nd, 2009
Nokia sues Apple, alleges patent infringement by iPhone
The world’s biggest cell phone maker is dragging the maker of one of the most popular cell phones to court over patent infringement. Nokia said today that it has filed suit against Apple, alleging that the iPhone infringes on Nokia’s patents for GSM, UMTS and wireless LAN (WLAN) standards.
The suit surrounds ten patents that cover wireless data, speech coding, security and encryption. Nokia alleges that all infringement has occured since Apple shipped the first iPhone in 2007. In a press release, Ilkka Rahnasto, Vice President, Legal & Intellectual Property at Nokia, said:
The basic principle in the mobile industry is that those companies who contribute in technology development to establish standards create intellectual property, which others then need to compensate for. Apple is also expected to follow this principle. By refusing to agree appropriate terms for Nokia’s intellectual property, Apple is attempting to get a free ride on the back of Nokia’s innovation.
Nokia stressed that, during the last two decades, it has invested about (EUR) 40 billion in R&D and holds more than 10,000 patents.
Sam Diaz is a senior editor at ZDNet. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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