Ericsson wants to block iPhone sales in the US
Swedish cellphone maker Ericsson is suing Apple in hopes of blocking the sale of iPhones and iPads in the United States, the company said on Friday.
Ericsson claims Apple has infringed on 41 of the more than 35,000 patents it holds.
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The patents cover the design of user interfaces, semiconductor components, location services, operating systems and more, Ericsson said.
“Apple’s products benefit from the technology invented and patented by Ericsson’s engineers. Features that consumers now take for granted—like being able to live stream television shows or access their favorite apps from their phone—rely on the technology we have developed,” said Kasim Alfalahi, chief intellectual property officer at Ericsson, in a statement on the company’s website.
“We are committed to sharing our innovations and have acted in good faith to find a fair solution. Apple currently uses our technology without a license and therefore we are seeking help from the court and the [U.S. International Trade Commission].” Alfalahi said.
An iPhone 6 Plus on display in an Apple store as customers talk with a salesperson.
Scott Mlyn | CNBC
Apple sold a record 74.5 million iPhones during the quarter ended last December, compared with 51 million iPhones in the same period a year earlier.
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In response to Ericsson’s accusations, Apple reiterated a comment it made in a previous filing regarding the Swedish company’s patents.
“With tens of thousands of innovative employees, Apple has deep respect for intellectual property. We’ve always been willing to pay a fair price to secure the rights to standard essential patents covering technology in our products. Unfortunately, we have not been able to agree with Ericsson on a fair rate for their patents so, as a last resort, we are asking the courts for help,” Apple said in an email to CNBC.