Ericsson and Apple are escalating the battle over telecommunications patents, including 5G.
According to Bloomberg, the Swedish multinational telecommunications company has filed a trade complaint, seeking to block the import of Apple devices. This escalates a legal battle and shows that licensing negotiations between the two sides on technology 5G telecommunications
In a complaint filed with the US International Trade Commission in Washington, Ericsson targets a range of Apple products, including iPhones, tablets, smartwatches, smart speakers, and digital music players. which it claims infringes some of its patents. Ericsson also filed a lawsuit on January 17 in a Texas district court, alleging that Apple devices are using Ericsson’s patented invention without paying.
Even before Ericsson and Apple’s 2015 license agreement expired, the two companies sued each other. In October 2021, Ericsson sued Apple, saying the US tech company was “hypocritical” in the negotiations. Apple responded with a lawsuit in December 2021, claiming that Ericsson was using a “strong-arm” tactic in negotiations.
“Because the previous agreement expired, and we were unable to agree on the terms and scope of the new license, Apple is using our technology without a license,” the person said. Ericsson spokesman Mikaela Idermark wrote in an emailed statement.
Ericsson is drawing on its long history in the telecommunications sector and its key role in developing streaming and communication technologies for phones and other devices. According to the lawsuit, Ericsson sold its first telephone in 1878. The Stockholm-based telecommunications company also played an important role in the patent and standards-setting boards, including This, includes areas such as roaming, signaling, and system communication.
Some of the patents involved in the lawsuit are an essential part of industry standards in telecommunications, including 5G, the complaint says. Ericsson said that it complied with a requirement set by the board, licensing the patents on fair and reasonable terms, but that Apple was “intentional and intentional” in using these inventions without pay.
In the lawsuit filed in December 2021, Apple argues that Ericsson is the smaller player when it comes to the latest generation of mobile communications, but is still asking for a “sticker price” of $5 per device as if Ericsson remains the largest contributor to the industry standards. Apple said it was “always willing to pay a fair price for the technology used in our products”. The iPhone maker has asked a court to set a global “fair price” for Ericsson’s patent-essential standard.
“Ericsson refused to negotiate fair terms to renew the patent, instead suing us worldwide for excessive royalties. We will continue to defend ourselves against their tactics,” Apple said.