Motorola filed several patent-infringement complaints against Apple which were filed in two U.S. district courts and with the U.S. International Trade Commission, relate to early-stage technologies developed by Motorola.

Motorola alleges that Apple's iPhone, iPad, iTouch and some Macintosh computers illegally use Motorola's technology.

The complaints are the latest developments in long-running disputes involving several key competitors in the wireless industry. Beyond competing in the marketplace with their rival products, the companies have turned the courtroom into a second front. Newcomers and entrenched veterans alike are jostling for position.

"If they have these patents, they do everything to slow these companies down," said Mark Kesslen, a patent lawyer with Lowenstein Sandler. "It's just a dog fight out there."

The Motorola lawsuits come as the line between computer manufacturers and mobile-device makers blurs, with new entrants such as Apple and Hewlett-Packard Co. making bigger moves in the mobile sector, while traditional handset makers such as Samsung Electronics Co. enter the tablet market. The moves have caused new rivalries between competitors such as Apple and Motorola, or Oracle Corp. versus Google Inc., which created the Android mobile operating system.

Apple expects to retaliate with its own lawsuit against Motorola shortly.

By: DocMemory
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