First of all I apologize for not browsing through the whole thread, so I might be repeat some of your posts.
First of all most of the software patents suck. Innovation and most of all amount of investment behind those are minimal compared to e.g. research and development of 3G technology. If you invest millions to something like that, you have every right to be paid from your work. Don't get me wrong, I'm not just blaming Apple here, since every big telecom company has these ******** patents also. Good example is patenting your touch screen buttons getting bigger when pressed.
My understanding is that Apple has been willing to pay the same royalties to Nokia as others. The problem has been that they are not willing to play with the same rules regarding their patents, i.e. making them available to the rest of telecom field with standardized pricing.
IMO it's quite clear that Apple is on the payer side here, that's the role of a newcomer.
I, for one, hope that Nokia is actually heard. Not because I want Apple punished or Nokia to win; but because as a company, you have to operate within the laws and confinements such as patents rightfully so and it seems like Nokia wasn't trying to go for anything other than "licenses" and Apple is acting rather bullish.
But didn't Apple just did what Nokia did a few years back to Qualcomm?
But didn't Apple just did what Nokia did a few years back to Qualcomm?
Yes, and Nokia got spanked for it.
And if that's exactly what Apple is doing to Nokia now, Apple deserves to be spanked for it ... whether you like Apple or not, and whether you like Nokia or not.
Ah I thought Nokia got away with it. Which is why I was thinking (why on Earth is Nokia suing Apple for doing the same thing they did if they got away with it). Well in that case it does make sense that Nokia is now suing Apple.
From what I recall, they had to deal with a long period of import restrictions, and eventually settled with Qualcomm into a mutual agreement, which probably involved back and future royalties.
Wasn't result of Nokia vs. Qualcomm more like win-win. Nokia's license fees to Qualcomm were lowered (Nokia win) but they still pay them (Qualcomm win) and it was setled in a way that doesn't affect any other Qualcomm licensees (big win for both).