Nokia Launches New Assault in Patent Battle Against Apple

According to a Reuters report, Nokia’s latest patent strike against Apple underscores the changing dynamics of the cell phone market, with the sector leader no longer holding the whip hand over rivals in terms of product development.

However, Reuters reports analysts believe the risks involved in stepping into a legal minefield to help make up lost ground, notably in the fast-growing smartphone market, could pay dividends given the huge stock of patents Nokia has built up as a founding father of the handset industry.

The aggressive move comes as Nokia, which has stumbled badly in the fast-growing smartphone sector, tries to win back market share from the likes of Apple and Blackberry maker Research in Motion.

Apple trails Nokia in cell phone shipments, but has gained a lot of ground against the market leader in the smartphone segment thanks to the iPhone.

Both firms earlier this year launched patent infringement suits against the other.

Analysts say the dispute reflects the shifting balance of power in the mobile industry as cell phones morph into handheld computers that can play video games and surf the Web, Reuters reports.