Nokia opens new patent battle against Apple

The world's top mobile phone maker Nokia ratcheted up a patent battle against Apple today, saying it had filed a complaint with the US International Trade Commission (ITC).

"Nokia ... (is) alleging that Apple infringes Nokia patents in virtually all of its mobile phones, portable music players, and computers," the firm said in a statement.

The seven Nokia patents at issue "relate to Nokia's pioneering innovations that are now being used by Apple to create key features in its products in the area of user interface, as well as camera, antenna and power management technologies," it said.

A spokesman said the firm expected the ITC to decide on whether to pursue the case in around 30 days, but any possible injunction against the sale of Apple products with regard to the alleged patent infringement would not happen until early 2011.

Apple and Nokia have launched patent infringement suits against each other in 2009. Analysts say the dispute, potentially involving hundreds of millions of dollars in annual royalties, reflects the shifting balance of power in the mobile industry as cellphones morph into handheld computers that can play video games and surf the Web..

Apple was not immediately available for comment.