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Last updated: Monday, January 18, 2010

The patent duel between Apple and Nokia is getting decidedly more aggressive in the new year. Both handset makers took swings over the past few days in a legal battle that shows no signs of simmering down before it gets hotter. On Friday, Apple filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), an independent federal agency that, among other things, directs actions against unfair trade practices involving patent, trademark and copyright infringement. The commission has the authority to order U.S. customs officials to block goods from entering the U.S. In filing a complaint with the ITC, Apple is fighting fire with fire. In late December, Nokia filed a similar ITC complaint against the iPhone maker for allegedly infringing on its patents in virtually all of Apple’s mobile phones, music players, and computers. Apple’s tit-for-tat move suggests it has no intention of backing down without a fight. “Nokia will study the complaint when it is received and continue to defend itself vigorously,” a Nokia spokesperson told Reuters. “However, this does not alter the fact that Apple has failed to agree to appropriate terms for using Nokia technology and has been seeking a free ride on Nokia’s innovation since it shipped the first iPhone in 2007.” The Short History The battle began Oct. 22 when Nokia filed a complaint in U.S. District Court in Delaware alleging the iPhone infringes on Nokia’s patents for GSM, UMTS and wireless LAN (WLAN) standards. The patents cover wireless data, speech coding, security and encryption, and Nokia said they are infringed by all Apple iPhone models shipped since the iPhone was introduced in 2007. On Dec. 11, Apple responded with a countersuit charging Nokia with infringing on 13 Apple patents. At that time, Bruce Sewell, Apple’s general counsel and senior vice president, said, “Other companies must compete with us…

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Patent Battle Between Nokia and Apple Escalates

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