PCR Tech and IT retail, distribution and vendor news
Motorola has filed a lawsuit against Apple seeking to block iPhone and iPad sales, in what is the latest in a series of mobile technology patent infringement actions.
The smartphone maker has issued proceedings in the district courts of Illinois and Florida as well as the inevitable filing witht he US International Trade Commission.
The company is alleging infringement on 18 separate patents which cover all of Apple’s mobile products and even some Mac desktops.
The patents mostly involve radio-related technology from antenna design to 3G and 802.11 wi-fi. Also included is a proximity sensor which disables touchscreen input when making a call and some key software techniques such as managing installed software applications.
“Motorola has innovated and patented throughout every cycle of the telecommunications industry evolution, from Motorola’s invention of the cell phone to its development of premier smartphone products," said Motorolla IP boss Kirk Dailey.
"After Apple’s late entry into the telecommunications market, we engaged in lengthy negotiations, but Apple has refused to take a license. We had no choice but to file these complaints to halt Apple’s continued infringement."
Motorola is itself the target of action from Microsoft relating to the use of the Android operating system. With high stakes involved in attaining a dominent position in the exploding smartphone category, a large number of legal proceedings have been issued around mobile technology patents.
Typically these can take years to resolve in the courts and requests to remove from sale and ban imports are the equivalent of playing negotiation hard ball.
