Nokia to take a thin slice out of Apple’s pie
APPLE has settled an ongoing patent row with troubled phone maker Nokia, with analysts speculating that Steve Jobs’ firm could part with up to two per cent of the price of each iPhone it sells.
The terms of the settlement will see Apple pay a one-off sum as well as contributing ongoing royalty fees. Details were not disclosed but the sum is likely to run into hundreds of millions of dollars, with iPhone sales forecast for $43bn (£26.2bn) this year.
Nokia first sued Apple in 2009, with the Cupertino-based firm responding with its own lawsuit.
Apple’s ongoing payments could be offset in a deal taking into account Nokia’s alleged encroachment on Apple patents in areas such as touch-screen scrolling.
Nokia boss Stephen Elop said: “This settlement demonstrates Nokia’s industry-leading patent portfolio and enables us to focus on further licensing opportunities in the mobile communications market.”
Apple confirmed it has entered into a mutual licencing agreement. It is also involved in ongoing patent lawsuits with Asian phone-makers HTC and Samsung, accusing the latter of “slavishly” copying its designs.