Motorola wins German patent case against Apple

Motorola could ban Apple iPhones and iPads from sale in Germany after winning a court case in the country.

Apple's iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPad 3G and iPad 2 3G are all using the tech that the courts have ruled infringes on Motorola's patents and Motorola may enforce a sales injunction in Germany as a result - unless Apple coughs up £85.3 million.

The iPhone 4S was released after the case began in April 2011, but could fall under the same injunction if it uses the same infringing technology, according to patent lawsuit expert Foss Patents.

Pesky EP 1010336

So what's got Motorola all het up? It's European Patent 1010336, of course, which is a "method for performing a countdown function during a mobile-originated transfer for a packet radio system".

Apple could modify the iPhone and iPad products to appease Motorola and stop infringing on the patent, just as Samsung did with its Galaxy Tab 10.1 after Apple brought a sales ban against it in the Netherlands.

It seems more likely that Apple will appeal the ruling, however, and perhaps even try to stake a claim on the patent itself.

This patent situation never, ever gets dull, does it?