Apple halts iCloud push services in Germany

Apple was handed a setback in Germany recently when a court ruled in favor of Motorola in a patent infringement case involving Apple's iCloud and MobileMe push email service. A new support document on Apple's German website confirms the company is halting push email for its customers that are inside German borders. The document gives customers instructions on how to setup email to be delivered at regular intervals. The support page notes that iCloud email will resume its push behavior outside Germany, while MobileMe push email will be disabled until further notice.

This change in iCloud and MobileMe is the result of a lawsuit Motorola filed against Apple in April 2011. Judge Andreas Voss of the Mannheim Regional Court ruled that Apple infringed on Motorola's European patent, EP (European Patent) 0847654 (B1). This patent describes a "multiple pager status synchronization system and method." Motorola was awarded a preliminary injunction and exercised its right to enforce the patent by putting up a 100 million euro bond. Apple will likely appeal this ruling, but until then iCloud and MobileMe push email will be unavailable to those who live in or travel to the European country.

[Via Macerkopf]