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Apple files countersuit against Nokia for 'theft'

'Nokia is infringing 13 Apple patents'

Apple files countersuit against Nokia for 'theft'
Nokia recently dealt a public blow to Apple by suing it for infringement of its mobile technology patents, and rather unsurprisingly Apple has responded with a countersuit and an equally public jab to the ribs.

Nokia has claimed ownership of technology relating to implementation of GSM, UMTS and wi-fi components, though judging by Apple's statement it clearly doesn't agree.

"Other companies must compete with us by inventing their own technologies, not just by stealing ours," said Bruce Sewell, Apple’s general counsel and senior vice president.

The countersuit claims that the Finnish handset manufacturer is infringing 13 of Apple's patents, and for the most part sets out to establish that Nokia's initial claims are invalid and that its ownership of "mobile standards" are inaccurate, and pulls no punches in doing so.

"Having suffered losses in the marketplace, Nokia has resorted to demanding exorbitant royalties from Apple for patents that Nokia claims are essential to various compatibility standards to mobile wireless telecommunications and wireless computing that Apple practices," the suit states.

Let the legal battles commence.

Yes. Spanner's his real name. And, yes, he's heard that joke before.