The patents in question relate to technologies for enhanced speech and data transmission, using positioning data in applications and innovations in antenna configurations that improve performance and save space, allowing smaller and more compact devices. These patented innovations are important to Nokia’s success as they allow improved product performance and design.

“Nokia has been the leading developer of many key technologies in mobile devices” said Paul Melin, General Manager, Patent Licensing at Nokia. “We have taken this step to protect the results of our pioneering development and to put an end to continued unlawful use of Nokia’s innovation.”

During the last two decades, Nokia has invested approximately EUR 40 billion in research and development and built one of the wireless industry’s strongest and broadest IPR portfolios, with over 11,000 patent families. Nokia is a world leader in the development of handheld device and mobile communications technologies, which is also demonstrated by Nokia’s strong patent portfolio.

Related posts:

1. The other Nokia lawsuit
2. Nokia class action securities fraud lawsuit is big news in Finland
3. Nokia responds to securities fraud lawsuit

The mobile telephone giant Nokia faces a class-action suit in the United States. The suit was filed on behalf of investors on Friday last week in a US district court in New York. It concerns statements given out by the company in January and September of 2008 on the production volume of mobile telephones.
Nokia issued a statement on the lawsuit, saying that the accusations are without merit. The company plans to fight the demands by all means available.

According to the suit, Nokia failed to disclose its shortage of components and its production problems in the early part of 2008 when it presented its new products.
The plaintiffs also say that Nokia failed to disclose a decline in its market share as its competitors were slashing their prices, and as its average sales prices were declining.
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The class-action suit is being pursued by the law firm Coughlin, Stoia, Geller, Rudman & Robbins on behalf of the pension fund of the municipal employees of the city of Roseville.
Nokia has faced similar class-action suits in 1995 and 2004. Both times the suits did not go to court, because they were rejected as being without merit.

Related posts:

1. Nokia class action complaint: first look
2. Nokia responds to securities fraud lawsuit
3. Nokia lawsuit complaint: summary of the case

Nokia has filed lawsuits before the International Trade Commission (ITC) and also in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware against Apple, alleging patent infringement.   Specifically, Nokia asserts in the patent lawsuits that Apple’s iPhone 3G and 3GS infringe patents involving things like  a “programmable voltage controlled oscillator” (whatever that is),  a method for combining speaker and antenna assemblies, and a method to link contextual data from an email to cause an application to open and perform a specific function.  Nokia also claims that the click-wheel on many iPods (but not the iPod Touch) violates a patent it has on combining multiple inputs in one interface [ed note: that is patentable?  really?], and that every Apple device with a built-in camera, including MacBook laptops, violates a patent on a method to combine camera functions on a single chip.

Related posts:

1. Nokia patent suit against Apple expands to include iPad
2. Nokia responds to securities fraud lawsuit
3. Nokia class action securities fraud lawsuit is big news in Finland

NATURE OF THE CASE

1. This is a federal securities class action on behalf of purchasers of the American Depository Shares (“ADS”) of Nokia between January 24, 2008 and September 5, 2008, inclusive (the “Class Period”), against Nokia and certain of its officers for violations of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”).

2. Over its 142 year history, Nokia has evolved from its origins in the paper industry to become a world leader in mobile communications. Today, approximately a billion people around the world use Nokia mobile devices.

3. In early 2008, Defendants became aware that Nokia was likely to experience production related delays associated with its mid-price range cellular phones, including certain of its smart phones. Defendants hid this fact from investors and instead highlighted the Company’s expected launch of several new phones.

4. Facing increasing competition, especially from manufactures in the Asian-Pacific region, Nokia began to slash prices in an attempt to maintain its industry leading market share.

5. As the Class Period progressed, the product supply and other manufacturing problems Nokia experienced with the production of its mid-priced cellular phones caused it to push back the launch of one, high end mid-priced phone. This delay, coupled with Nokia’s aggressive price cutting strategy caused the average selling price (“ASP”) of it cellular phones to decline significantly, from EUR 79 in Q1 of 2008 to EUR 74 in Q2 of 2008 to EUR 72 in Q3 of 2008, as
Nokia was forced to sell a greater percentage of lower priced phones.

6. The decline in Nokia ASP adversely impacted the operating margins of the Company’s highly profitable Devices and Services segment, which, excluding special items, also declined during the Class Period, from 21.2% in Q1 of 2008 to 20.1% in Q2 of 2008 to 18.6% in Q3 of 2008.

7. By the end of the Class Period, the price of Nokia’s ADS had fallen from a Class Period high of $38.25 to $20.62.

Related posts:

1. Nokia class action complaint: first look
2. Nokia class action securities fraud lawsuit is big news in Finland

Related posts:

1. Nokia class action complaint: first look
2. Nokia lawsuit complaint: summary of the case
3. Nokia class action securities fraud lawsuit is big news in Finland

According to Nokia,it  “has reviewed the allegations contained in the complaint and believes that they are without merit. Nokia intends to defend itself against the complaint vigorously.”

Related posts:

1. Nokia class action securities fraud lawsuit is big news in Finland
2. Nokia class action complaint: first look
3. The other Nokia lawsuit

The complaints vary but all have the same basic allegations:

• that Nokia is a publicly listed manufacturer of mobile devices, and provides Internet services and digital map information worldwide.
• that in a class period from January 24, 2008 to September 5, 2008, Nokia shares and ADS were fraudulently inflated
• that defendants failed to disclose material adverse facts about Nokia’s true financial condition, business and prospects. Specifically, defendants failed to disclose: (a) that positive statements about Nokia’s product launches lacked reasonable basis especially in light of a component supply shortage and manufacturing problems; (b) that Nokia was losing market share due to intense price cuts by competitors; and (c) that defendants failed to disclose Nokia had dramatically slashed its ASPs (average selling prices) to maintain market share.
• On September 5, 2008, Nokia issued a press release announcing its third quarter 2008 outlook, and held a conference call.  In the call, Nokia cited a production glitch with a mid-range device and described price cutting on low end models by its competitors.
• In response to these statements, Nokia ADS prices on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:NOK) dropped approximately 8%, to $20.62, on heavy volume.

Related posts:

1. Nokia class action securities fraud lawsuit is big news in Finland
2. Nokia responds to securities fraud lawsuit
3. Nokia lawsuit complaint: summary of the case