{"id":30785,"date":"2014-07-09T17:34:35","date_gmt":"2014-07-09T17:34:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=30785"},"modified":"2014-07-09T17:34:35","modified_gmt":"2014-07-09T17:34:35","slug":"google-faces-german-motorola-phone-patent-ban","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2014\/07\/google-faces-german-motorola-phone-patent-ban\/","title":{"rendered":"Google faces German Motorola phone patent ban"},"content":{"rendered":"
Motorola faces the prospect of being forced to remove its handsets from sale in Germany and to recall phones already bought by business customers.<\/p>\n
A local court has ruled that the antennas used by the Google-owned business infringe a patent owned by a German laser specialist.<\/p>\n
The firm, LPKF, now has the right to block the products from sale unless Google comes to some other agreement.<\/p>\n
It told the BBC it had not yet decided how to proceed.<\/p>\n
A German patent consultant said it was not a simple decision to make.<\/p>\n
“If LPKF wants to enforce the action it faces economic risk,” said Florian Mueller, who has previously advised Microsoft and Oracle.<\/p>\n
“If it makes Motorola pull and recall products today, LPKF could later be liable for wrongful enforcement damages in a year or so if Motorola appeals and ultimately prevails.”<\/p>\n
Google is in the process of selling its Motorola business to the Chinese tech firm Lenovo, but the deal has yet to be completed.<\/p>\n
“We are disappointed in the decision but Motorola has taken steps to avoid any interruption in supply,” said a spokesman for the firm.<\/p>\n