Nokia sues Apple over iPad patents

Filed in Wisconsin

Image credit: darling.clandestine on Flickr CC

7 May 2010 17:48 GMT / By Duncan Geere

Nokia has chosen picturesque Wisconsin to file a sharp lawsuit against Apple, with accusations of infringing five patents related to the 3G variant of the iPad.

It's the second US lawsuit in recent history, and the fifth pending legal action across the world, suggesting there's not much love lost between the companies.

It claims that Apple infringes patents related to "enhanced speech and data transmission, using positioning data in applications and innovations in antenna configurations that improve performance and save space, allowing smaller and more compact devices".

The lawsuit's been filed in a district that's reputed for its quick turnaround of cases, so it's possible that Nokia wants to use a quick judgement to gain an edge in other pending litigation.

However, no doubt, Apple will rapidly file a countersuit. Unfortunately with technological development outpacing the speed of legal action considerably, by the time a judgement is delivered it often fails to impact a company's product line.

Via: engadget.com

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Hardware, iPad, Tablet PCs, Nokia, Apple, Patents, Lawsuits