But a quick read of the opening arguments alleged by Nokia may be a sign of nothing more than jealousy over Apple's continued worldwide iPhone marketing success, just as the device is expected to be released in China.
It reads more like a playground fight started by Nokia. Here's why.
Instead of initially focusing on the merits of the case, Nokia is heavy on simply dissing Apple, boasting that it:
- "is the world's largest manufacturer of mobile telephones"
- "is one of the champions of wireless communications"
- "received numerous awards and accolades for its achievements"
- "introduc[ed] the first car phone"
- had "the world's first genuine GMS call"
- made the "Nokia 9000 Communicator [in 1996]...the first all-in-one phone, fax, calendar, e-mail and Internet device in a hand portable size."
- made "the first Push-to-Talk GSM handset"
Noka maintains that it tried to license technologies to Apple, but that the company "rejected Nokia offers for the [Fair Reasonable and Non-Discriminatory ('F/RAND') terms and conditions."
Even if Apple paid it millions for allegedly 'past due' F/RAND patent licensing fees, Nokia claims that Apple would still enjoy the market share it otherwise would not have but for the period of "free riding."
Translation: Nokia acknowledges that Apple's iPhone sales have been, and continue to be spectacular, cutting into the Finnish company's smartphone and mobile handset sales.
