Nokia and Apple lawyers resolve IP differences
Nokia and Apple have made it up after settling their issues over intellectual property rights, with an unspecified lump sum heading from California to Finland, as well as royalties.
Nokia filed several lawsuits against Apple in the USA and Germany at the end of the year after Apple declined to licence the IP described in 32 patents, covering display, user interface, software, antenna, chipsets and video coding. In fact, Apple pointed th finger at Nokia accusing it of ‘troll-like’ behaviour and sued it.
New business line
While Nokia sold its phones business to Microsoft in 2013 and is not in the business of making phones any more, it retains a substantial licensing business, Nokia Technologies which was boosted significantly via the acquisition of French telco Alcatel-Lucent last year. Apple had already paid Core Wireless Licensing $7.3m earlier in December for infringing two patents. Core is a subsidiary of Conversant, which Apple accused of being a front for Nokia.
Bygones are bygones
However, bygones seem to be bygones. ‘We are pleased with this resolution of our dispute and we look forward to expanding our business relationship with Nokia,’ said Apple’s chief operating officer, Jeff Williams. Apple will resume selling Nokia’s Withings brand wearables. And the joint statement mentioned ‘future collaboration in digital health initiatives’.
Source: Global Legal Post – Nokia & Apple lawyers resolve IP differences
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