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Apple Overturns Motorola's German iPad and iPhone Sales Bans

Posted by Soulskill on from the german-courts-love-patent-drama dept.

SpuriousLogic sends this excerpt from a BBC article detailing the suspension of a sales ban on certain Apple products in Germany: "Motorola Mobility had forced Apple to remove several iPad and iPhone models from its online store [yesterday] after enforcing a patent infringement court ruling delivered in December. An appeals court lifted the ban after Apple made a new license payment offer. However, Germany-based users may still face the loss of their push email iCloud service after a separate ruling. 'A suspension like this is available only against a bond, but Apple is almost drowning in cash and obviously won't have had a problem with obtaining and posting a bond.' ... A statement from Apple said: 'All iPad and iPhone models will be back on sale through Apple's online store in Germany shortly.'" Reader DJRumpy points out that Motorola is seeking royalties of 2.25% for Apple's wireless devices in exchange for a license to use Motorola's patents.

4 of 120 comments (clear)

  1. But some expert said Moto's patents were weak... by bogaboga · · Score: 3, Interesting

    This same patent expert insinuated that Google Motorola buy was a bad idea!

    Now, we hear that push email may be gone from iDevices. This is to the expert... ...What you say...?

  2. Re:And that's how it is supposed to work. by Daniel+Phillips · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Just makes them seem like hypocrites and frankly, douches.

    More properly, unmasks them. Apple has always been like this since my earliest dealings with them (1984, how apropo). For some unfathomable reason, Apple's true corporate culture has only recently become widely known and properly called out.

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  3. Re:And that's how it is supposed to work. by Daniel+Phillips · · Score: 1, Interesting

    And a message to Apple spin control in advance: sending in PR drones to Slashdot really just sums up what you have become.

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  4. Re:Hmmm.... by theycallmeB · · Score: 4, Interesting

    As that very article points out, Motorola has declined various settlement offers from Apple for PAST infringement of Motorola's patents. Motorola has licensed these very patents to Apple on FRAND terms for use in newly developed products which is why the iPhone 4S was not affected by the sales injunction, only the older models.

    Since Apple did not license the patent on FRAND terms before pushing out the older iPhones, Motorola does not have any obligation to be fair, reasonable or non-discriminatory in negotiating the deal for those products now.