Motorola enforces injunction against Apple in Germany – iPhone and iPad blocked from sale online
It looks like Apple has lost another battle against another Android manufacturer. In the past, Samsung overturned an injunction that bans the sale of its Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Australia. This time the Cupertino firm is forced to pull out its products such as the iPhone 4 and iPad 2 from its online shop in Germany.
Apple makes use of a Motorola patent that is described as a “method for performing a countdown function during a mobile-originated transfer for a packet radio system”. Unfortunately, Apple has not licensed the patent from Motorola.
The injunction applies to a number of Apple products such as the iPhone 3G, the iPhone 3G S, the iPhone 4, the original iPad, and the iPad 2. The only product to be exempted from the ban is the iPhone 4S. Although shoppers in Germany cannot get their hands on these products via Apple’s German online shop, they can still get these products via German Apple Stores or other retailers.
Apple will appeal the ruling, claiming, “Motorola repeatedly refuses to license this patent to Apple on reasonable terms, despite having declared it an industry standard patent seven years ago.”
Motorola argues that, since 2007, they have been offering Apple reasonable terms.
Are you getting sick and tired of the legal battles industry giants wage on each other? Do you think they just focus on creating cutting-edge devices for us to enjoy? Give us your thoughts.
