Motorola's push mail patent ruled partly invalid in Germany
The German Federal Patent Court has branded as partly invalid a Motorola message synchronization patent that was used to force Apple to switch off iOS push email services in Germany for more than a year.
The decision, issued Wednesday, follows two related complaints filed by Apple’s and Microsoft’s German subsidiaries challenging the European patent from Google-owned Motorola Mobility, according to the court.
Apple had to switch off push mail services for iOS devices in Germany after Motorola decided to enforce an injunction granted by the Regional Court of Mannheim in February 2012. That decision was overturned by Mannheim’s appeals court, the Higher Regional Court of Karlsruhe in August, which lifted the injunction via an interim decision.
Because that decision was not final, Apple had to post a bond of €100 million ($134 million) to lift it and switch on push email for Germans again. Push email has been available for iOS devices in Germany again since Oct. 1.
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