ITC to investigate Apple devices on Motorola complaint
updated 12:35 pm EDT, Tue September 18, 2012
No Apple hardware specified so far
The US International Trade Commission has announced an investigation into certain Apple products following complaints by Motorola Mobility. The group isn't going into much detail about its efforts, except to say that it will run "an investigation of certain wireless communication devices, portable music and data processing devices, computers, and components thereof." That would appear to imply the iPhone, and possibly other products such as the iPad.
Motorola is hoping to block US imports of some Apple products, which it accuses of violating seven patents. These cover concepts such as "geographic-temporal significant messaging," an "apparatus, method and system for multimedia control and communication," and a "method and apparatus for obtaining and managing wirelessly communicated content."
Apple and Motorola have for some time been engaged in an international legal battle, mostly revolving around the latter's use of Android, made by Motorola parent Google. Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs infamously said that he considered Android "stolen," and that he was willing to go to "thermonuclear war" over the issue. That policy recently resulted in a $1.05 billion judgment against Samsung.
