ITC Will Investigate Apple

[Paul Daniel Ash]

The US International Trade Commission said it is going to investigate Apple based on a complaint that was filed by Nokia in late December. This latest move indicates that the long-running conflict between the two mobile phone heavyweights is unlikely to be resolved any time soon.

In its complaint, Nokia had charged Apple with infringing seven of its patents that affected pretty much all of Apple's phones, portable devices and computers. As a remedy, Nokia asked the ITC to order Apple to stop importing and selling the offending products. Apple, in mid-January, counterattacked by asking the ITC to investigate Nokia, saying that the Finnish phone giant had infringing Apple's patents. The ITC has not yet responded to Apple.

The two companies also have declared war on each other in the US court system. Nokia filed a patent infringement suit against Apple in the US District Court in the state of Delaware, and Apple countersued, charging Nokia with infringing 13 Apple patents.

The ongoing battle is considered by most observers to be an elaborate negotiating tactic between the two firms about licensing fees on the Nokia patents in question. Apple says Nokia wanted unreasonable fees, and a cross-license for Apple's various iPhone device patents. Nokia , for its part, says that all it wants is fees that it says are past due for its patents. Many other smartphone makes already pay fees to the Finnish manufacturer.

The ITC is supposed to complete its investigation within 45 days. Once the investigation is done, six judges on the ITC's review board will make an initial ruling on the case. That initial determination is then to be reviewed by the full commission, which will make the ultimate decision on granting Nokia's request, in effect halting Apple's ability to sell anything to anyone.

[lolcats1]

the iphone is sure pissing off the powers that be, lol. it apple really is barred from selling in north america, android will sure to take over.

nokia will still get left in the dust though.

[Jgamble317]

the iphone is sure pissing off the powers that be, lol. it apple really is barred from selling in north america, android will sure to take over.

nokia will still get left in the dust though.

i doubt that a power player like apple will get barred from selling. but anything can happen I suppose

[kdp8791]

Apple sued them, they sued Apple. Nokia has always started **** after the iPhone, maybe it's because the loss of their sales. Clearly not many people Nokia's when they have an iPhone. Could Nokia just be bullshiting this?Who knows. It's just a matter of fees. So iPhones probably won't disappear.

[steve-z17]

Nokia needs to stop being such a baby, suck it up! Apple has taken over the smartphone industry on their own, they didn't need anything from you guys, so stop trying to get money out of them.

Apple will never be barred from selling in North America, that's retarded.

[applekid80]

Go android!! Google will be taking over the world while the others fight!

[nickname0695]

@steve-z17

for every article exploring the legal matters between Nokia and Apple, there you are critisizing Nokia and calling them a 'cry baby'. Tell me, why is your opinion so? Because your comment expresses no knowledge of the issue at all giving me the impression that you're blindly claiming that Apple cannot possibly be at fault because they're your favorite company in the whole wide world. If Nokia wins this fairly and legally and you're outraged, It is you that needs to 'suck it up'.

[applekid80]

@steve-z17

for every article exploring the legal matters between Nokia and Apple, there you are critisizing Nokia and calling them a 'cry baby'. Tell me, why is your opinion so? Because your comment expresses no knowledge of the issue at all giving me the impression that you're blindly claiming that Apple cannot possibly be at fault because they're your favorite company in the whole wide world. If Nokia wins this fairly and legally and you're outraged, It is you that needs to 'suck it up'.

You pulled the words right out of my mouth

[lolcats1]

You pulled the words right out of my mouth

ouch

[Luppin]

@steve-z17

for every article exploring the legal matters between Nokia and Apple, there you are critisizing Nokia and calling them a 'cry baby'. Tell me, why is your opinion so? Because your comment expresses no knowledge of the issue at all giving me the impression that you're blindly claiming that Apple cannot possibly be at fault because they're your favorite company in the whole wide world. If Nokia wins this fairly and legally and you're outraged, It is you that needs to 'suck it up'.

I second this. "Steve-z17" wouldn't be very happy if someone had a monumental success after stealing technological developments that he had made without so much as crediting him, it's all about giving credit where credit is due. Sure if the iPhone was a huge flop and just sort of fizzled (Vas Ort Flam ) then Nokia probably wouldn't have done anything, but they're just trying to cash in on what is legitimately rightfully theirs.

[steve-z17]

@steve-z17

for every article exploring the legal matters between Nokia and Apple, there you are critisizing Nokia and calling them a 'cry baby'. Tell me, why is your opinion so? Because your comment expresses no knowledge of the issue at all giving me the impression that you're blindly claiming that Apple cannot possibly be at fault because they're your favorite company in the whole wide world. If Nokia wins this fairly and legally and you're outraged, It is you that needs to 'suck it up'.

Wow! You don't know what your talking about. The real issue between the two is patent pooling, and because the iPhone has done so well Nokia is discriminating against Apple to try and get more money from them as well as try and get open access to their technology. So here's Nokia saying that Apple has stolen their technology when in reality any patent technology Apple may have used from them was in open standards. The hypocritical part is that while Nokia was trying to gain access to Apple's private patents they had already begun using them in their own phone's. There's always two sides to a story and I can be on which ever side I want. Just because you think Nokia is in the right doesn't mean they actually are, and vice versa. I'm voicing my opinion of the issue, that doesn't mean I'm right, but I'm still going to voice it. And if Apple loses then they lose...so what? I still have the right to think what I want.

And the comment about Apple being my "favorite company in the world" is just idiotic. Yeah I prefer Apple over most companies, so what? I also use Windows 7 and Android, and I'd stick up for them if I thought they were being wronged in a situation! So don't come at me saying I'm blindly claiming something when that's exactly what your doing to me, except you're actually wrong!

[loop4444]

To make long story short,hers what i think. The stuff nokia claims to be "stolen" were probably patents that nokia did and apple just took them and made them perfect,making them their own patents. So in that case,nokia deserves that apple pays them for sure. But it is kinda funny cuz apple clearly did a much better job,i mean iphone is the most popular gadget in the world. And nokia cant face the fact that apple beaten them with their own technology.

[tudtran]

Please Nokia, Stop sued apple and start making a phone.

[Jahooba]

What are the chances the consumer will win as an outcome of this?

[bruinsrme]

What are the chances the consumer will win as an outcome of this?

The same chance consumers would have won if Psystar wasn't shut down.

On other comments not just here, but when apple is sued, the other company should just stop whining, when apple sues cheers go out and rewards for the heads of the violators are issued.

Seems like another large company demonstrated similar practices.

[kraziebone]

The only thing that I don't understand is why is this coming out now? Nokia has attempted to sue around 15 of the largest cell phone and camera companies in the world for patents they made in the early 90's. They have already won a couple of preliminary cases but I just don't get why they didn't do this 10 or 15 years ago. I'm sure it has something to do with their patent running out of time but I can't help but wonder if they were purposely waiting so they could ride the coat tails of others. If they win and their patents were lagitimately infringed on, it seems like a cheap stategy to catch a easy buck.

[bruinsrme]

The only thing that I don't understand is why is this coming out now? Nokia has attempted to sue around 15 of the largest cell phone and camera companies in the world for patents they made in the early 90's. They have already won a couple of preliminary cases but I just don't get why they didn't do this 10 or 15 years ago. I'm sure it has something to do with their patent running out of time but I can't help but wonder if they were purposely waiting so they could ride the coat tails of others. If they win and their patents were lagitimately infringed on, it seems like a cheap stategy to catch a easy buck.

Across the web there are a number of articles stating other companies Nokia approached are paying some licensing fee for use fo the patents. The articles also mentioned apple was approached but Nokia was ignored.
Why is it a cheap strategy and easy buck if Apple did infringe?

[steve-z17]

The only thing that I don't understand is why is this coming out now? Nokia has attempted to sue around 15 of the largest cell phone and camera companies in the world for patents they made in the early 90's. They have already won a couple of preliminary cases but I just don't get why they didn't do this 10 or 15 years ago. I'm sure it has something to do with their patent running out of time but I can't help but wonder if they were purposely waiting so they could ride the coat tails of others. If they win and their patents were lagitimately infringed on, it seems like a cheap stategy to catch a easy buck.

They're doing it because they want more money. Nokia didn't expect the iPhone to do as well as it has and because Apple built off of some Nokia patents that they (Nokia) had pooled (open for other businesses to use for a price) they're trying to get more money from Apple. There's always two sides to a story though. I think Nokia is just whining and complaining because they're not in the smartphone biz and they're going to get left in the dust, so they're trying to milk Apple for all the money they can.

As far as Apple owing money to them, who knows, if they do then they should pay for using Nokia's patents, but if they already have paid and Nokia just wants more money then they shouldn't pay jack.

[rhekt]

again with nokias bad attitude.

[unison999]

because the iPhone has done so well Nokia is discriminating against Apple to try and get more money from them as well as try and get open access to their technology.

Want to show me this discrimination? Want to show me where Nokia charge more for the license fee for iPhone than others also?
It has proven that Apple took Nokia's patented technology, Apple is already guilty. Just because Apple does not think it is fair it does not mean Apple can go ahead and use it without consequences. I don't think it is fair that my boss expect me to work for my pay, so can I just mess around and not work without suffering consequences?
Again if you really do not want to pay, invent your own then.