Apple sues Creative over patent dispute

iPod-maker brings second counter-suit against Creative

8 June 2006 17:20 GMT / By Amber Maitland

Apple and Creative are taking their differences out in court.

Reports say that Apple has brought its second counter-suit against its number one competitor in the MP3 player market for patent infringement.

Creative stand accused of infringing at least three of Apple's patents: one for data display on a computer; one for editing data on a portable media device; and the last for creating icons to organise files on a computer.

Creative started the legal wrangling between the two companies by seeking an injunction and increased damages for alleged violations of its patent on its Zen music players. It also wants the court to prohibit Apple from selling, marketing or importing iPods in the US.

In response, Apple counter-sued that Creative had infringed four of its patents.

The first counter-suit was brought in the state of Wisconsin, but the latest on was filed in Texarkana, Texas, where many patent cases are heard in the US because research has shown that the juries tend to favour patent holders.