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HTC stops selling phones in UK while patent dispute rumbles on
HTC has stopped selling phones through its UK website while a patent issue plays out. Its handsets are all listed as out of stock, including the Exodus 1 blockchain phone, though the company is still selling them in other nations. They're also available through Amazon's UK site.
Nokia loses UK appeal against IPCom's pointless patent posturing
Nokia has had its appeal dismissed in the UK High Court in its Europe-wide patent battle against IPCom. The court found that the handset maker had infringed the German firm's 3G patent, but only on the Nokia N96 -- a phone the company no longer sells. IPCom can now request a ban on all British sales of the 2008 handset, a move that will probably affect tens of people. We've got an official response from Nokia's Mark Durrant after the break. [Image credit: Wikimedia Commons]
European Patent Office invalidates IPCom 3G patent, gives good news to Nokia and HTC
IPCom's had its way with many mobile manufacturers, including Nokia and HTC, by suing them for patent infringement in German courts. However, the Finnish and Taiwanese firms got good news today when the European Patent Office invalidated one of its 3G patents -- the very same one it used to obtain an injunction against HTC. IPCom's not going away quietly, however, as it plans to appeal the EPO's decision. That means that the folks in Espoo and Taoyuan City aren't out of the woods yet -- but it should at least give them a bit more bargaining power in negotiations to end their (seemingly endless) legal spats.
Nokia gets nose bloodied in IPCom patent case, says it doesn't care anyway
Mannheim is gaining a reputation as the place where patent disputes go to die. The latest loser? Nokia, in a case against German firm IPCom. A saving grace for the Finnish firm, this time, seems to be that the patent in question was granted in February 2011 and all the handsets involved predate this, and are no longer on the market. That's according to the firm's spokesman at least, who also added that it would be seeking a ruling from a higher court to clarify whether current handsets are also affected by the ruling. Well, they do say things come in threes...
IPCom to enforce injunction against HTC, ban sales of its 3G devices in Germany
HTC's had a rough go of it in the legal arena this year, and the company just got hit with another judicial setback in Germany. Patent holding firm (read: patent troll) IPCom was granted an injunction in 2009 against HTC based upon HTC's devices alleged infringement of an IPCom patent on UMTS 3G technology. HTC appealed that injunction in 2009 to suspend its enforcement, and today the German court upheld the previous decision. With the injunction back in full effect, IPCom plans to seek sanctions against the Taiwanese firm and ban the sale of its devices in Deutschland. So, that means HTC will have to pony up the cash to license the IP in question or leave lots of Beats fanatics disappointed come Christmas morning.
HTC granted stay of execution in German patent case
The temporary injunction filed against HTC in Germany in its battle with patent holding firm IPCom has been repealed -- at least for now -- by an appellate court, allowing sales of forthcoming 3G devices bearing affected chipsets to continue until the case proceeds in four weeks' time. This should be absolutely splendid news for Germans concerned that the case might affect their ability to get in on the Magic come next month; ultimately, the case could theoretically lead to a sales stoppage, but the way things are lined up now, it seems like there'll be at least a slim window of opportunity for would-be owners to get their Android on without fear of IPCom putting the kibosh on the party. We'll continue to follow this drama as it progresses, but we'll reiterate what we'd said before: in all likelihood, this'll end with HTC shelling out some undisclosed settlement, and seeing how the company has already said that it's investigating alternative chipsets, it'll be a moot point before too long, anyway.
