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The breaches applied to all models of the iPhone since its launch in 2007. The news created a slight dip in Apple's shares.
Nokia said that it had agreements with about 40 firms allowing them to use the firm's technology, but that Apple never signed the agreement.
"The basic principle in the mobile industry is that those companies who contribute in technology development to establish standards create intellectual property, which others then need to compensate for," said Ilkka Rahnasto, vice president of Legal & Intellectual Property at Nokia.
Nokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational communications corporation. Nokia is engaged in the manufacturing of mobile devices and in converging Internet and communications industries, with 128,445 employees in 120 countries. It is the world's largest manufacturer of mobile telephones
Earlier this month, Nokia posted its first quarterly loss in a decade due to falling sales. The losses had come partly as customers turned from Nokia models to the iPhone and RIM's Blackberry. Meanwhile, Apple reported large profits in the past several months partly due to a 7% growth iPhone sales.
Nokia charges that it is owed a cut of at least some of Apple's profits. In its suit, the cell phone giant charged that Apple violated 10 of its patents.
According to the suit, each of the patents is an "essential" part of at least one of the standards governing such wireless communications technologies as Wi-Fi and Global System for Mobile communications, or GSM, which is the most widely used cell phone system.
Nokia did not ask for a specific amount in damages. With 30 million iPhones Apple sold to date and a standard royalty rate of about 5 percent, the amount of money at stake between Apple and Nokia could be sizable.
Cheryl Phillips
Exclusive to HULIQ.com
sources: Wikipedia, Nokia, BBC
Posted October 23rd, 2009 by Cheryl Phillips
