Judge Says The iPhone Didn't Violate Nokia's Patents

from the regret-pushing-the-button dept

Nokia, who used to absolutely dominate the mobile phone market, has definitely seen better days. The iPhone really took it by surprise and the company really hasn't done a particularly good job reacting to the rise of the smartphone market. So, like plenty of companies who once innovated, once it started losing in the market, it shifted to litigation. Just a week after the company's first ever quarterly loss, it sued Apple for patent infringement over the iPhone. It actually took two cracks at Apple in that it also used the ITC loophole to go after the company twice.

Of course, in true patentland fashion, when a big tech company sues another big tech company for patent infringement, patent nuclear war ensues, as Apple sued back claiming that Nokia infringed on its patents. While the various lawsuits are still ongoing, it appears that Nokia's first shot via the ITC loophole has been a big failure, as the judge has ruled that Apple didn't infringe at all. It's worth noting that many consider the ITC to also have a lower bar, so this might not bode well for Nokia's lawsuit. Of course, Apple's lawsuit against Nokia remains as well... meaning that this little attack on Apple could conceivably end very, very badly for Nokia.

Probably should have focused on innovating, huh?
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Filed Under: competition, innovation, itc, patents, smartphones
Companies: apple, nokia


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  • icon
    Chris Rhodes (profile), 25 Mar 2011 @ 6:34pm

    You Know What They Say

    Those who live be government fiat, die by government fiat.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    R, 25 Mar 2011 @ 6:41pm

    Innovation

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    R, 25 Mar 2011 @ 6:45pm

    Innovation

    Probably should have focused on innovating, huh?

    You do realise that Nokia are responsible for most of the core mobile phone technologies, right? The stuff that all GSM phones need. (In fact, I'm pretty sure those are the patents in question.)
    Putting that aside, Nokia was innovating (at least until last year, anyway). The N900 was definitely unique, though it remains to see what direction MeeGo will be heading in now that they've switched to Windows Mobile for most phones.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      DannyB (profile), 28 Mar 2011 @ 7:40am

      Re: Innovation

      Nokia may have been innovating, but they took way too long to bring a Linux (MeeGo / Maemo, etc.) phone to market. They needed to have a fire lit under them.

      Now they need to wake up and smell the Android.


      Mike wrote:
      "...this little attack on Apple could conceivably end very, very badly for Nokia."

      Correction:
      "...[could] end very, very badly for Microsoft."

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    R, 25 Mar 2011 @ 6:46pm

    Innovation

    Probably should have focused on innovating, huh?

    You do realise that Nokia are responsible for most of the core mobile phone technologies, right? The stuff that all GSM phones need. (In fact, I'm pretty sure those are the patents in question.) If their patents aren't enforced, then it becomes much harder to justify the financial viability of R&D.
    Putting that aside, Nokia was innovating (at least until last year, anyway). The N900 was definitely unique, though it remains to see what direction MeeGo will be heading in now that they've switched to Windows Mobile for most phones.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    R, 25 Mar 2011 @ 6:47pm

    Innovation

    Probably should have focused on innovating, huh?

    You do realise that Nokia are responsible for most of the core mobile phone technologies, right? The stuff that all GSM phones need. (In fact, I'm pretty sure those are the patents in question.) If their patents aren't enforced, then it becomes much harder to justify the financial viability of R&D.
    Putting that aside, Nokia was innovating (at least until last year, anyway). The N900 was definitely unique, though it remains to see what direction MeeGo will be heading in now that they've switched to Windows Mobile for most phones.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      mark3vt, 26 Mar 2011 @ 6:16am

      Re: Innovation

      "Nokia are responsible for most of the core mobile phone technologies, right?" Wrong - Qualcomm innovated this tech equally. TI too.
      Regarding innovation - isn't Nokia the company that just opened their barn-door to let Windows phone 7 software in? Allowing Steve Ballmer to walk into your house is like inviting the Three Stooges to dinner.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 25 Mar 2011 @ 10:03pm

    Heh, probably since it's a US company the judge felt to be a "protectionist".

    I find it hard that no Nokia patent was violated. If that's the case new lawyers need to be hired.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 25 Mar 2011 @ 10:10pm

    3 posts in 1 min intervals is that parkinson's disease?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Atkray (profile), 25 Mar 2011 @ 10:56pm

      Re:

      You really think that was on purpose?

      I guess that explains how AC's can come up with some of the nonsense they post.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 27 Mar 2011 @ 12:58am

        Re: Re:

        No, that is why I'm asking if he has some disease that makes him hit the reload button repeatedly to send the same post 3 times in short order.

        See there:
        R, Mar 25th, 2011 @ 6:45pm
        R, Mar 25th, 2011 @ 6:46pm
        R, Mar 25th, 2011 @ 6:47pm

        Exactly one minute apart LoL
        If it was the send button it probably be the same post at the same time, not in one minute intervals, but I'm just speculating here.

        Or could he had a "angry kid" moment and bashed the keyboard repeatedly.

        I'm just amused at the fact that he manage to send 3 copies of the same post at 1 min intervals, don't you get amused when people do those things?

        link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      The eejit (profile), 26 Mar 2011 @ 2:16am

      Re:

      no, that's crazy pingtimes. You try playing Crysios 2 with 15000 ping.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    I don't agree, 26 Mar 2011 @ 5:24am

    If innovation is something more important than others,how come some Americans hated Nokia while it violated Qcom's patents years ago?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 26 Mar 2011 @ 6:29am

    avoid Nokia

    I owned one Nokia, never again as long as I live. Ridiculous design "features," lousy support, goofy user interface. Beware.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 26 Mar 2011 @ 8:39am

    The real story here is that a judge at least partially debunked the so called wireless patent thicket.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Mike Masnick (profile), 26 Mar 2011 @ 8:08pm

      Re:

      The real story here is that a judge at least partially debunked the so called wireless patent thicket

      Huh? There are over 50 patents currently being sued over. This ITC ruling (not a court ruling) keeps this patent alive. All it says is that the ITC doesn't think Apple violated it.

      How does that debunk the patent thicket at all?

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    squard, 12 Nov 2013 @ 6:52pm

    Apple is a big monster in mobilephone and gadget. im apple freak :D

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    gad77, 12 Nov 2013 @ 6:54pm

    i was wondering if nokia using android. Maybe it would be different

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      rick, 21 Apr 2014 @ 8:25pm

      Re:

      Nokia X using android now. There's no Google Play on the Nokia X leaving users with Nokia's curated Android Store as the main source for apps.

      link to this | view in chronology ]


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