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Apple countersues Motorola over multi-touch patents

updated 02:30 pm EDT, Sat October 30, 2010

Apple countersuit says Motorola abusing touch tech

Apple late Friday responded to Motorola's lawsuit by filing two countersuits of its own. The complaints accuse Motorola of violating six patents primarily relating to multi-touch but also to graphical interfaces. Most of Motorola's currently shipping Android-based devices are covered, including the Droid, Droid 2 and Droid X, as well as the Backflip, Charm, Cliq, Cliq XT, Devour and i1.

In pursuing its cases, Apple is hoping to both get a permanent injunction against Motorola and an unspecified amount of damages.

The lawsuits from both sides came after a fallout in negotiations over patent licensing. Apple has repeatedly publicized that it has over 200 patents relating to multi-touch and has argued that other implementations such as HTC's are also copying its technology. While HTC has primarily focused on dismissing the Apple case outright, Motorola has contended that Apple is trying to wage a proxy war against Google to curb Android's growth through hurting its hardware partners.

Apple is now embroiled in multiple often two-directional lawsuits with other phone manufacturers, including Nokia. Some of the cases include separate actions through the US International Trade Commission to bring in the risk of a ban. Typically, such suits result in settlements or royalty deals to avoid a full penalty.


By Electronista Staff


  1. cashxx

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Apr 2009


    Me Too

    I don't believe in suing and that c***, but if I was Apple I'd being suing them as well and trying to hurt the Android if thats what they are trying to do. I use both platforms and the Android OS is an exact copy of iOS. Although I'd like to see what the Android OS looked like before Google bought it out. I looked the other day and couldn't find any pics.

  1. Peter Bonte

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Aug 2001


    First Android wasn't touch

    This is the oldest pic i could find, the first android mimicked RIM

  1. Bobfozz

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jul 2008


    catch up

    When Apple shocked the world with its new iPhone you can BET any "competitors" were extremely alarmed... they clearly had to know then what they were up against... and as the PC world/phone world now knows, that has meant taking short cuts (China being among the worst). It's inconceivable that they didn't run roughshod over Apple's patents and "hoped" no one would notice. When the "red herring" of Apple using other's patents came up, it was mere camouflage. Apple had worked on this for a long time, in secret, and no doubt kept its lawyers very busy during that time. I've seen NO evidence that the other companies did ANY due diligence as they were in an extreme rush to "catch up."

    Funny, they seem to be falling behind. Eric Schmidt is not a man of honor either.

  1. Fast iBook

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Mar 2003


    51 billion reasons.....

    There are 51 billion reasons apple will win in some way. They could easily buy moto and nokia and call it a day. Those mentioned should tread carefully, and should have come to agreements with apple before commencing production of multi-touch gesture enabled phones.

    - A

  1. testudo

    Forum Regular

    Joined: Aug 2001


    Re: 51 billion reasons

    Except Apple is too smart to buy Moto and/or Nokia. Why waste the money? Any settlement on a lawsuit is a pittance compared to what these companies would cost

    Not to mention that buying the companies would basically be throwing money down the toilet, since it is doubtful that there is anything at either company Steve is interested in.

    Oh, and they might be able to buy Nokia, but there'd be anti-trust whining on a Motorola buyout, and why go through that trouble, either?

  1. pottymouth

    Junior Member

    Joined: Nov 2003



    "it is doubtful that there is anything at either company Steve is interested in"

    PowerBook G5!!!1!

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