Anul acesta Apple a luat la rand marii producatori de terminale Android dandu-i in judecata pentru incalcarea unor brevete de inventie in terminalele construite. Pana acum Samsung a fost marele pierzator fiindu-i interzisa vanzarea Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Germania si Australia. Ei bine se pare ca Apple si-ar fi gasit “nasul” in Germania unde o curte din Mannheim urmeaza sa interzica vanzarea produselor Apple deoarece acestea incalca doua brevete de inventie detinute de Motorola. Mai mult decat atat, Apple ar urma sa plateasca, companiei Motorola daune pentru incalcarea acestor brevete de inventie, daune care vor cuprinde perioada 2003 – 2011.
Apple knows what it’s like to win injunctions against rivals. It won four of them against Samsung (two in Germany, one in the Netherlands and most recently one in Australia; all of them preliminary). Now it seems that Apple has just come out on the losing end of a patent infringement lawsuit. I have received a copy of what purports to be a default judgment by the Mannheim Regional Court barring Apple from selling in Germany — the single largest market in Europe – any mobile devices infringing on two Motorola Mobility patents and determining that Apple owes Motorola Mobility damages for past infringement since April 19, 2003.
Aceasta este prima oara cand produsele Apple ar putea fi interzise de la vanzare intr-o tara insa deocamdata informatiile de mai sus au fost furnizate in baza unei informari care ar trebui sa contina o posibila decizie de blocare a vanzarii iDevice-urilor a unui judecator german. In momentul de fata Apple poate vinde iDevice-urile in Germania desi s-a stabilit ca a incalcat brevete de inventie ale Motorola dar in perioada urmatoare decizia de interzicere a vanzarii iDevice-urilor ar putea fi luata de instanta care a hotarat ca brevetele de inventie au fost incalcate. Motorola a dat declaratia de presa de mai jos :
As media and mobility continue to converge, Motorola Mobility’s patented technologies are increasingly important for innovation within the wireless and communications industries, for which Motorola Mobility has developed an industry leading intellectual property portfolio. We will continue to assert ourselves in the protection of these assets, while also ensuring that our technologies are widely available to end-users. We hope that we are able to resolve this matter, so we can focus on creating great innovations that benefit the industry.
Si raspunsul celor de la Apple :
This is a procedural issue that has nothing to do with the merits of the case. This does not affect our ability to sell products or do business in Germany at this time.
Practic Apple poate vinde acum iDevice-uri in Germania dar nu se stie ce se va intampla in perioada urmatoare. Motorola Mobility a fost achizitionata de Google acum cateva saptamani si iata ca deja incepe sa castige procese impotriva companiei Apple. Brevetele de inventie incalcate de catre compania din Cupertino au legatura cu tehnologii dedicate aparatelor radio si pagerelor. Stiti care-i partea interesanta? Motorola are acelasi brevete inregistrate si in SUA deci teoretic si le poate apara oriunde in lume.
Acum Apple va trebui sa ajunga la o intelegere cu Motorola/Google pentru ca iDevice-urile sale sa fie in continuare disponibile pe cea mai mare piata din Europa.
