Uh-oh, it looks like Motorola could have run into a little spot of trouble over in Germany. It seems that the company might have lost a patent dispute with a company called LPKF Laser & Electronics. Apparently the company claims that Motorola had infringed upon one of their patents related to antennas, and we guess the German courts have ultimately ruled in their favor.
What this means is that Motorola will have to stop selling mobile phones in Germany that have infringed upon said patent. It is unclear which mobile phones will be affected by this sales injunction, but we guess if you see a particular Motorola device disappear from the shelves, there is a good chance that could be it.
For those unfamiliar, LPKF Laser & Electronics are a German company that specializes in the development of systems used in electronics production. The company had reportedly attempted to go after Motorola over that patent in China, but the Chinese courts had ruled the patent to be invalid, but that is a decision the company is currently appealing.
According to the LPKF’s CEO, Ingo Bretthauer, the company is planning on going after other companies who might have potentially infringed upon the patent. In a statement released by a Motorola spokesman to the BBC, “We are disappointed in the decision but Motorola has taken steps to avoid any interruption in supply.”