Remember when Nokia sued Apple for infringement over essential wireless patents? Us neither, but Apple sure does — in a counter-suit which says Nokia is copying the iPhone interface. Says Bruce Sewell, Apple SVP and General Counsel:

“Other companies must compete with us by inventing their own technologies, not just by stealing ours”

And in the complaint:

“Nokia has rapidly lost share in the market for high-end mobile phones. Nokia has admitted that, as a result of the iPhone launch, the market has changed suddenly and [Nokia was] not fast enough changing with it. In response, Nokia chose to copy the iPhone, especially its enormously popular and patented design and user interface.”

They remind Nokia of their EVP, Anssi Vanjoki’s statement about the iPhone in 2007:

“[If] there is something good in the world, we copy with pride”

To which Apple responds:

“True to this quote, Nokia has demonstrated its willingness to copy Apple’s iPhone ideas as well as Apple’s basic computing technologies, all while demanding Apple pay for access to Nokia’s purported standards essential patent. Apple seeks redress for this behavior.”

Whether or not this leads to a quick(er) settlement and cross-licensing deal on both sides, it’s interesting to note the “mutually assured patent destruction” strategy we (and PreCentral.net regarding Palm vs. Apple) have spoken about before seems to be holding true. If one sues, the other(s) sue back. Boom. Merry $&@#ing Christmas indeed.

UPDATE: Engadget reveals:

Apple also says Nokia wanted to cross-license Apple’s various iPhone device patents as part of any deal, which Apple clearly wasn’t will to do.

[NokiaExperts and Apple Insider]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Apple Countersues Nokia – Patent Pugilism Has Begun!

American Public Radio’s Marketplace was gracious enough to have me on yesterday to discuss AT&T and the iPhone with Stacey Vanek Smith. Segment starts about 4:00 min in. Can AT&T build out their network fast enough to get ahead of iPhone usage and growth? Will they need to start charging for tiered data? Is the end of exclusivity the only answer?

Listen in, and then let us know how (or if) AT&T can handle the iPhone…

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb on APR Marketplace Discussing iPhone and AT&T

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Google and Apple are not only increasingly in each others’ space, but getting into each others faces in a battle to acquire — and prevent each other from acquiring — strategic startups. Google was in “serious discussions” to buy online music streaming service Lala before Apple swooped in and nabbed it for $85 million. Likewise, Apple was interested in picking up Admob to protect information about its App Store before Google grabbed it for $750.

Google, which has nearly $22 billion in cash, has been particularly active. In addition to AdMob, Google bought display-ad company Teracent Corp. and Internet-phone provider Gizmo5 Technologies Inc. in November. Last week it purchased AppJet Inc., a maker of online collaboration software.

Apple, which has $34 billion in cash, has been exploring buying iPhone-related technologies that it doesn’t yet have, say people familiar with the matter. Its moves are generating particular attention because Apple has made fewer acquisitions than other companies of its size.

All this follows Google’s launch of Android OS for Smartphones, Chrome OS for netbooks, CEO, Eric Schmidt, leaving Apple’s board of directors, and Apple denying Google Voice and Google Latitude entry into the iPhone App Store.

Again, TiPb just wants to make sure users are the ones that benefit from great smartphones and services in the end. In a battle between King Kong and Godzilla, it’s important we’re the audience enjoying a great experience, and not the city folk fleeing as the monsters stomp all over us.

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Apple vs. Google in Battle of the Startup Acquisitions!

Cellar [$2.99 - iTunes link], the raise-a-glass gorgeous way to keep track of your wine collection on an iPhone or iPod touch, has submitted version 2.0 to the App Store. We’ve been taste-testing it for a few days, and — well, more on that in another post. To celebrate the immanent arrival, however, Airsource Ltd and Glasshouse Apps are teaming with TiPb to give away 10 FREE COPIES of the current version.

Want one? Just head on over to the TiPb iPhone Forums and tell us which wine is on your holiday wish-list!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

TiPb Give Away: Cellar Digital Wine Showcase for iPhone

Apple’s new iPhone Developer RSS Feed brings world that iTunes Connect now supports Brazilian Portuguese, Korean, Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, and Swedish language localizations:

With over 50 million users of iPhone and iPod touch in 81 countries around the world, it’s more important than ever to make your app available in a user’s language of choice. You can, and should, create localized versions of your app for each market you sell to. In iTunes Connect, you can customize your app’s metadata, keywords and screenshots for each localized version.

So if you’re in one of those countries, head on over and give your local App Store some linguistic love.

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

iTunes Connect Now Supports Brazilian Portuguese, Korean, Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, and Swedish Language Localizations