Nokia seeking to block Blackberry 10

As if RIM didn’t have it hard enough… It managed to get a FIPS certification for their new Blackberry 10 as the only mobile os secure enough for US government officials. But despite this achievement RIM keeps loosing followers. Recently RIM lost National Transportation Safety Board as well as Immigration & Customs Enforcement agency and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. RIM says that some 40 percent of their 1 million government clients recommitted this year and with new BlackBerry 10 smartphones coming in early 2013 there are new hopes for struggling Canadian smartphone maker.

Less than three months before Blackberry 10′s launch Nokia’s new series of litigations against RIM come at particularly bad time.

“RIM has had a tough time losing market segment to other smartphones. And the future of the business is now going to be based on the success of its new operating system, which itself has been delayed,” said patent attorney Andrew Alton. “Anything else that diverts attention from getting that out there and products shipped and bought is going to be detrimental for the business.”

RIM had a licensing deal with Nokia for using WLAN (wireless active network), but in Sweden, Stockholm Chamber of Commerce ruled in favor of Nokia saying that RIM should pay a separate fee for Nokia technologies. When talking to BBC, Nokia disclosed plans to initiate another lawsuit regarding email, navigation and antenna technologies.

RIM’s Thorsten Heins replied by saying:

“Research In Motion has worked hard to develop its leading-edge Blackberry technology and has built an industry-leading intellectual property portfolio of its own,”

Nokia is asking for stern measures to stop release of new Blackberry 10 devices in United States, Canada and Great Britain. Nokia has been showing market share loss for a long time and many of the intellectual property rights lawsuits bring substantial revenue much needed to keep Nokia’s value (now $11.8bn) intact.

To technology giants and large companies in general, suing and being sued is just part of a doing business. Samsung and Apple have been at it for longer than anyone can remember. There may not be a device by either Samsung or Apple that is not claimed as infringing on some copyrights or other. Samsung is now paying $1.05 billion in damages to Apple and many counter suits are on employing army of lawyers. Patent wars are just business and I am guessing pretty profitable ones at that.

RIM is also sued by several other companies. Lochner sues RIM as well as other smartphone makers for videos streaming.

Related posts:

1. BlackBerry 10 launch update
2. BlackBerry 10 gets FIPS 140-2 certified
3. Nokia to make tough calls to restore competetiveness