Motorola Mobility won a preliminary injunction against Apple in Germany, which could bar the sales of iPhones and iPads in the country.
The court in Manheim, Germany has ruled that Apple's European sales company, Ireland-based Apple Sales International, is infringing one of Motorola Mobility's core cellular communications patents related to data packet transfer technology (GPRS) through its sales of the iPhone and iPad devices. The Court granted Motorola Mobility's requests for an injunction and damages.
"We are pleased with the court's ruling. Today's decision validates Motorola Mobility's efforts to enforce its patents against Apple's infringement," said Scott Offer, senior vice president and general counsel of Motorola Mobility. "Motorola Mobility has worked hard over the years to build an industry-leading intellectual property portfolio that is respected by the telecommunications industry, and we are proud to leverage this portfolio to create differentiated innovations that enhance the user experience. We will continue to take all necessary steps to protect our intellectual property, as the company's patent portfolio and licensing agreements with companies both in the U.S. and around the world are critical to our business. We have been negotiating with Apple and offering them reasonable licensing terms and conditions since 2007, and will continue our efforts to resolve our global patent dispute as soon as practicable."
Apple said Friday it would immediately appeal the German court ruling.
"We're going to appeal the court's ruling right away," Apple spokeswoman Kristin Huguet said. "Holiday shoppers in Germany should have no problem finding the iPad or iPhone they want."
In September, a court in Dusseldorf sided with Apple in a dispute against Samsung over the South Korean company's Galaxy tablet, which Apple said was too similar to the iPad.