Apple loses "Slide to Unlock" patent in German court

Apple's "slide to unlock" patent has been one of the company's key weapons in its long and arduous patent war against Samsung and other smart device manufacturers. According to a recent ruling by Germany's highest appeals court, however, that patent is invalid.

On August 26, the Federal Court of Appeals in Karlsruhe confirmed an earlier ruling of a Federal Patent court back in 2013, which dismissed Apple's patent on slide-to-unlock technology. As part of its ruling, the lower court found that the feature actually existed as early as 2003 on a Swedish phone called the Neonode N1, which was later released in 2005. 

Only a relatively small number of N1s were sold before Neonode went bankrupt in 2008. The company reorganized, however, into an intellectual property firm handling smartphone and other touch screen patents.

The lawsuit against Apple was first started by Motorola in a Munich court, which ruled in favor of Apple. However, that ruling was overturned by Germany's Federal Patent Court, a decision now made permanent by this week's ruling. 

Though this ruling is specific to Germany, it will likely trickle down and influence the rulings of other European countries. The patent, much like the one pertaining to the rubberband effect earlier this year, may even be revoked by the European Patent Office. 

While Apple has seen some success with its patent battles, particularly in the United States, the losses inflicted on Samsung have been less than devastating, and the aggressive stance taken by Apple has created a reputation for the tech giant as a bully.

No matter where you are with your company, it's important to contact a skilled business attorney as soon as possible. A lawyer can help protect your rights in case of litigation, and get you just compensation.

Categorised in: Intellectual Property Law

This post was written by multi_admin