JURIST - Paper Chase: Nokia files new round of patent suits against Apple

[JURIST] Finnish telecommunications company Nokia [corporate website] announced Tuesday that it filed another complaint [press release] against Apple [corporate website] with the US International Trade Commission (ITC) [official website] in addition to a lawsuit filed in Delaware. Nokia's newest complaint alleges Apple is violating seven patents "in virtually all of its mobile phones, portable music players, tablets and computers ... in the areas of multi-tasking operating systems, data synchronization, positioning, call quality and the use of Bluetooth accessories." The complaint comes in response to the ITC determination that Apple did not violate the patents [PC World report] involved in Nokia's original complaint [JURIST report] filed in October 2009. As to the ITC's decision announced on Friday, Nokia has indicated it will wait to "see the full details of the ruling before deciding on the next steps in that case." The ITC, composed of six members, is expected to decide whether it will review [Bloomberg report] Friday's decision within the next two months. Nokia acknowledged that with the present complaint it now has "46 Nokia patents in suit against Apple" literally around the world.

Nokia and Apple have been embroiled in litigation marked by trading accusations of patent infringement. In December, the litigation spread to Germany, the UK and the Netherlands where Nokia filed 13 patent infringement complaints [JURIST report] against Apple. Last May, Nokia filed a complaint [JURIST report] in the US District Court in the Western District for Wisconsin [official website] alleging that Apple iPad and iPhone 3G products infringe additional Nokia patents. Apple counter-sued last December, claiming Nokia had stolen 13 patents from the company.