Apple has filed a counter lawsuit against Nokia for patent infringement in response to the Finnish company’s initial claim back in October.
Nokia filed a case against Apple in October saying the California-based Mac maker copied several of its creations for the iPhone. These included Nokia technology for Wi-Fi access, speech coding and security encryption. Nokia said 40 companies agreed a compensation package for using its t4echnology models but Apple had not. “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 of Legal & Intellectual Property, at the time.
Apple has now responded by claiming Nokia has copied iPhone technology, including phone to computer connection, menu layout, and power conservation, for its own S60, E71 and 5310 smart phones.
“Other companies must compete with us by inventing their own technologies, not just by stealing ours,” said Bruce Sewell, Apple’s general counsel and senior vice president.
Nokia is claiming 10 patent infringements in total while Apple is claiming 13. Apple’s suit also includes a request for Nokia’s claims to be dismissed. Nokia said it will respond to the counter-claim “in due course”. Both suits were filed in Delaware.
Online technology publication The Register said the case promises to be “an entertaining spectacle for 2010.”
