Apple Licensed iOS scrolling patent to Nokia?

Remember back in summer when Apple had to fork over cash because the courts did find them having stolen the Antenna tech that Nokia has (and hence why the revamped, Nokia-avoiding iPhone external antenna was causing dropped calls). Well apart from giving Nokia money, they also apparently licensed out the iOS scrolling patent.

As TheVerge points out, it was thought that Apple would never license their stuff, especially iOS related things. Samsung was apparently also offered a license but negotiations there failed. I wonder didn’t go through because what Sammy wanted was so they could also put Apple logos on the back to complete their iClones.

Was Nokia’s hold with those Antennas so strong that they could force Apple to go against the very core of Job’s ideals? (Even if it is as generic as scrolling. Next up, touch screens!)

If you remember, Jobs was willing to go thermonuclear on Android and spend all of Apples (then 40B, now what, 70B) cash to destroy Android – which Jobs felt was just stolen from Apple.

 ”I will spend my last dying breath if I need to, and I will spend every penny of Apple’s $40 billion in the bank, to right this wrong. I’m going to destroy Android, because it’s a stolen product. I’m willing to go thermonuclear war on this.”

Unlike Android OEMS that have no backing or protection from Google (apart from now purchased Moto), Windows Phone manufacturers are protected by Microsoft’s (and now Nokia’s) patents. Great plan from Google, take something from someone else, give it away for free, no need to protect that manufacturer, get the sympathy vote and claim foul and a victim when Oracle tries to sue you.

Source: TheVerge

Cheers Joni for the tip!

Category: Nokia