Nokia brings case against Apple to ITC

Nokia today filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission against Apple, alleging "virtually all" of the company's products--mobile phones, portable music players and computers--infringe on Nokia patents. The action is the latest in the rapidly escalating legal battle between the world's largest cell phone maker and the manufacturer of the popular iPhone.

Nokia said the seven patents in the complaint relate to user interface, camera, antenna and power management technologies.

Nokia kicked off the war in October with a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Delaware alleging Apple's iPhone infringes on ten Nokia patents. Apple fired back earlier this month, alleging Nokia products infringe on 13 of its own patents. Nokia's latest effort appears to be an attempt to open a new front in the legal war between the two companies.

"Nokia has been the leading developer of many key technologies in small electronic devices" said Paul Melin, head of Nokia's patent-licensing efforts. "This action is about protecting the results of such pioneering development. While our litigation in Delaware is about Apple's attempt to free-ride on the back of Nokia investment in wireless standards, the ITC case filed today is about Apple's practice of building its business on Nokia's proprietary innovation."

Apple did not immediately respond to requests to comment, according to several outlets.

For more:
- see Nokia's release
- see this Reuters article
- see this CNET article

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