Nokia Files Lawsuits Against Apple Accusing Them of Infringing Patents

Nokia filed a number of complaints against Apple in the U.S. and Germany accusing the company of infringing on Nokia patents, it announced Wednesday.

In a statement, the head of Patent Business at Nokia, Ilkka Rahnasto, said:

"Through our sustained investment in research and development, Nokia has created or contributed to many of the fundamental technologies used in today's mobile devices, including Apple products. After several years of negotiations trying to reach agreement to cover Apple's use of these patents, we are now taking action to defend our rights."

Nokia’s lawsuit derives from a disagreement with the Cupertino company over licensing for Nokia technology.

Apple’s Lawsuit Against Acacia and Conversant

Meanwhile, Apple filed an antitrust lawsuit against Acacia Research Corp. and Conversant Intellectual Property Management Inc. on Tuesday accusing them of conspiring with Nokia.

“Acacia, Conversant, and many other patent assertion entities have conspired with Nokia to use unfair and anticompetitive patent assertions to improperly tax the innovations of cell phone makers,” the complaint stated.

Apple said in the lawsuit that Acacia and Conversant were its “chief conspirators.” The documents state :

“With its cell phone business dying, Nokia began to seek out willing conspirators and to commence its illegal patent transfer scheme in full force; that scheme has continued in full effect to the present. The driving force behind Nokia's strategy was to diffuse its patent portfolio and place it in the hands of PAEs.”

Nokia says in its lawsuit against Apple that the company headed by CEO Tim Cook has “declined subsequent offers made by Nokia to license other of its patented inventions which are used by many of Apple's products.”

The Finnish company has filed complaints in Dusseldorf, Mannheim and Munich in Germany and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. The lawsuit covers 32 patents which cover technologies such as display, user interface, software, antenna, chipsets and video coding.

Nokia said it’s in the process of filing more legal action in other jurisdictions.