Motorola Wireless (Germany) Wins Apple Wireless Patent Fight

A regional court in Mannheim, has ruled that Apple Sales International, Apple's European subsidiary, must stop selling or distributing mobile devices that infringe certain Motorola patents; in this case one of Motorola's wireless intellectual properties.

The ruling could bar the sales of all Apple products that use the patents such as iPhone 4 and iPad 3G. Motorola could now force Apple to withdraw from sale all of its products that use that technology...

Whilst the ruling applies to Apple Sales International, Apple's sales subsidiary across Europe, the ruling relates only to product sold in Germany.

Mobile Warfare

The major players in the market for smartphones, etc., have been in a state of virtual "war" over any number of patents and alleged infringements. The list of protagonists almost always seems to include Apple, which is involved in various law suits around the globe with comapnies such as Samsung, Microsoft, and in this case Motorola.

An interesting aside, is that this court case pits Apple against Google, iOS against Android, since Motorola's shareholders have already agreed a takeover offer by Google in a deal which is due to be completed in 2012.