What you need to know
- Apple and Ericsson's patent dispute continues to roll on.
- The Swedish company has filed further actions against Apple in Brazil and Belgium.
- It is seeking an injunction against an Apple distributor in Brazil.
Ericsson has filed more claims against Apple in both Brazil and Belgium as the company's patent war with Apple rages on.
As reported by Foss Patents:
Ericsson keeps up the pressure on Apple. A filing made by Apple in the Eastern District of Texas on Monday (January 31) mentions that "[i]n Brazil [...], in addition to targeting Apple in a previous injunction request, Ericsson [...] filed for a second preliminary injunction on January 17 against Allied Tecnologia S.A., based on Ericsson's claimed 4G cellular SEPs and merely because Allied resells Apple cellular products." Apple is now intervening to protect its wholesaler.
According to the filing, Ericsson is seeking a preliminary injunction against Allied Technologia because it distributes Apple products that Ericsson says infringe on patents owned by the firm.
Ericsson continues to ramp up its litigation assault on Apple, following a disagreement between the two over licensing of 2G, 3G, and 4G technology. A deal signed in 2015 between the two had expired, and talks to sign a new deal that included 5G technology have broken down.
Apple's uses 5G in its best iPhones including the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 but like most smartphone makers it relies on patents from companies like Ericsson. While Ericsson is seeking various injunctions against Apple, the main goal of the suits as a collective is to get a licensing deal figured out. Apple has filed several countersuits against Ericsson which claim it infringes upon patents owned by Apple, but which state the company (Apple) is willing to drop all lawsuits if Ericsson will do the same.
