UPDATE: Apple overturns ban to remove iPads/iPhones from German online store
Update 16.30
Apple has this afternoon been granted a temporary suspension of a sales ban imposed on some products in Germany (see story below).
An appeals court lifted the ban after Apple made a new licence paymant offer.
A statement from Apple says: "All iPad and iPhone models will be back on sale through Apple's online store in Germany shortly.
"Apple appealed this ruling because Motorola repeatedly refuses to license this patent to Apple on reasonable terms, despite having declared it an industry standard patent seven years ago."
Published 12.45, 03.02.12
Apple has been forced to remove the iPad 3G, iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 from its online store in Germany after losing a patent dispute to Motorola.
The move, according to patent specialist FOSSpatents, stems from a ruling made in early December relating to GPRS technology patents held by Motorola.
As with other rulings, it doesn't affect German bricks and mortar Apple store or authorized dealers, only the German Apple online store.
It's the latest in a long line of patent battles over various mobile technologies that have affected sales across Europe of products from Apple and Samsung.
Comments
What happens is that company's like Motorola, Samsung come up with VITAL pieces of tech to make mobiles work, and license the tech to other companies (for a price).
Then along comes Apple using this tech, and then trying to get Motorola, Samsung's products banned because they supposedly violate some completely frivolous patent such as "rectangular with buttons" or "scroll-list bounces when end of list is reached".
Unsurprising Motorola,Samsung then say hang on "why should we license our vital tech" to such a company. Now Apple cries foul.
"Idiots, the more and more this kind of Rubbish Goes On The Less I Want To Purchase Any Of There Products."
I really don't understand this comment, are you at all informed of these proceedings? This is a FRAND case and while Motorola is obliged to license the tech at a "reasonable" rate from now forwards, the whole schtike is related to haggling over back payments which aren't covered under FRAND, which Motorola is trying to squeeze as much as possible out of Apple. So whose products aren't you buying?? Motorola's?
To be frank, I think all these patent lawsuits (and ESPECIALLY the ones surrounding FRAND licenses) are getting out of hand and doing the whole tech industry serious PR damage. Maybe the instituion of some sort of international technical court that can deal with these cases with an elevated degree of expertise in a more private setting away of the glaring public eye??
Idiots, the more and more this kind of Rubbish Goes On The Less I Want To Purchase Any Of There Products.