Nokia sues Apple over iPhone patents
Nokia, the world’s biggest mobile phone maker, is suing Apple for allegedly infringing patents on technology used in the iPhone.
The Finnish company claimed in a statement that Apple had failed to pay it for using patented technology and accused the iconic technology company of “attempting to get a free ride on the back of Nokia’s innovation”.
Nokia said the suit, filed with the Federal District Court in Delaware, related to technologies that are fundamental to making devices compatible with one or more mobile standards.
The 10 patents cover wireless data, speech coding, security and encryption and are "infringed by all Apple iPhone models shipped since the iPhone was introduced in 2007".
Nokia claims it had spent €40bn on researching and developing mobile phone technology over the last 20 years.
It said most of the other mobile phone companies had signed agreements to use its technology under licence, but it claims Apple, its key rival in the growing smartphone market, had not signed up to the accord.
“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,” said Ilkka Rahnasto, Nokia’s vice president for legal and intellectual property.
“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.”
Nokia, which makes almost four in ten of all the mobile phones sold worldwide, last week reported its first quarterly loss in more than a decade as its customers defect to the iPhone.
Apple was unavailable for comment.
- Rupert Neate
© Telegraph.co.uk
