Finnish mobile manufacturer Nokia has attacked tech giant Apple, filing a legal complaint in the US for alleged infringements of its mobile technology patents.
Nokia filed a suit against Apple in the US District Court in Delaware, saying the technology the iPhone uses to connect to the internet and make calls infringes on several of its patents.
Nokia also noted it has entered into about 40 agreements with other companies that cover the patents it accused Apple of infringing, and said it demands appropriate compensation for the use of its intellectual property.
“The 10 patents in suit relate to technologies fundamental to making devices which are compatible with one or more of the GSM, UMTS (3G WCDMA) and wireless LAN standards,” Nokia said.
While the company has registered several thousand patents dealing with wireless technology, the specific infringements refer to a technology that allows a device to pick the best connection possible when communicating wirelessly.
Nokia, which is the world’s third-largest handset manufacturer, said Apple has infringed a total of 10 patents. Deputy head of the company’s legal department, Ilkka Rahnasto, said in a statement that Apple was attempting to cash in on Nokia’s $US60 billion research campaigns.
“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,” Ilkka Rahnasto, deputy head of Nokia’s legal department, said in the statement.
“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 is quickly losing market share to both Apple’s iPhone and Research in Motion’s BlackBerry devices.
According to the company’s latest figures, Nokia’s share has slipped from 41% in the second quarter to 35% in the third quarter, while it recorded sales declines of 20% and a quarterly loss of $905 million.
Apple has not yet released a statement regarding the alleged infringements.
Patrick Stafford is a freelance journalist and a former deputy editor of SmartCompany.
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