Skip to main content

Nokia sues Apple, claims iPhone infringes ten patents

The world’s largest maker of mobile handsets, Finland’s Nokia, has filed a suit in the U.S. District Court in Delaware alleging that the Apple iPhone infringes on no fewer than ten Nokia patents related to GSM, UMTS, and WLAN technologies. The patents cover security, encryption, speech encoding, and wireless data transfer, and Nokia alleges the infringement goes all the way back to the original iPhone launched in 2007. And Nokia says its patents carry weight: they’ve already been licensed by 40 or so companies, including “virtually all” leading mobile device manufacturers.

Apple iPhone 3GS 16GB, $200 with contract from AT&T
Image used with permission by copyright holder

“The basic principle in the mobile industry is that those companies who contribute in technology development to establish standards create intellectual property, which others then need to compensate for,” said Nokia’s VP for legal and intellectual property Ilkka Rahnasto, in a statement. “Apple is also expected to follow this principle. By refusing to agree appropriate terms for Nokia’s intellectual property, Apple is attempting to get a free ride on the back of Nokia’s innovation.”

Recommended Videos

Nokia says it has invested more than €40 billion in research and development during the last 20 years to develop one of the largest patent portfolios in the industry.

Apple has not yet commented on the suit.

Given that the original iPhone was introduced over two years ago, it’s reasonable to assume Nokia has already been in contact with Apple about the alleged infringement and the companies failed to come to an agreement or work out a licensing deal—companies of this size typically only resort to litigation as a long-term pressure tactic when normal business channels break down. Nonetheless, the timing of Nokia’s suit has some industry watchers claiming sour grapes: Apple has just announced its most successful financial quarter ever, buoyed in part by strong demand for the iPhone, while Nokia is seeing its business shrink. The company had net sales of €9.8 billion for the last quarter, which is no small amount of money.

On the other hand, the company saw a 20 percent nosedive in sales of its smartphone products and has been forced to write down its Nokia-Seimens joint venture by €908 million — and its share of the world smartphone market steadily eroded by handsets like the BlackBerry … and, of course, the iPhone.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Geoff Duncan
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…
iPhone 17 Air dummy appears in video revealing its incredibly slender build
iPhone 17 Air dummy leak

We might only be in April, but the leaks surrounding Apple's next iPhone models are coming in thick and fast. The company is rumored to not only be announcing the usual iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro models later this year, but there has been plenty of talk about the iPhone 17 Air, or iPhone 17 Slim as it has also been called.

There have been several images of dummy units of the iPhone 17 Air appear over the last couple of months, while many reports have indicated its thickness will sit at 5.5mm, which is ever so slightly thicker than the iPad Pro (M4). The most recent leak doesn't just show off an image however, it's an entire video of a dummy unit of the iPhone 17 Air, reportedly sent from a manufacturer in China.

Read more
The iPhone 17 Pro might debut a never-before-seen iPhone color
Alleged concept render of the iPhone 17 Air in black.

The iPhone 17 lineup is expected to launch in September, assuming Apple sticks to its usual schedule and isn't impacted by tariffs. The iPhone 17 Pro, in particular, could come with a new color never seen on an iPhone before: Sky Blue, the same finish that's on the new MacBook Air units.

Majin Bu, a well-known leaker, shared the news on his website. According to Bu, "sources close to the supply chain confirm that several iPhone 17 Pro prototypes have been made in various colors, with Sky Blue currently the frontrunner." Compared to the more muted colors Apple has gone with in its more recent devices, a Sky Blue option is a welcome (and brighter) change.

Read more
The iPhone 17 could face a supply shortage that makes it hard to buy
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Render

The expected date of the iPhone 17 launch is less than five months away, but Apple's initial inventory buildup has run into a few hiccups. Before launching a new device — especially one that will likely sell out quickly — companies tend to make sure there is sufficient supply to meet the demand. However, a shortage of a vital component means Apple isn't able to produce iPhone 17 devices as fast as they need to.

The component in question is low thermal expansion coefficient, or low-CTE, fiberglass cloth. Low-CTE fiberglass cloth is a key part of managing heat. In a closed, tightly-packed environment like an iPhone chassis, heat isn't able to dissipate as easily. Without a way to handle it correctly, the increased temperatures can cause other components to expand. While this usually isn't enough to outright break a phone, it can reduce its longevity, result in performance problems, and have a serious impact on battery life.

Read more