Apple wins 'slide-to-unlock' patent ruling against Motorola

Apple has this week won a key patent dispute against Motorola Mobility pertaining to the "slide-to-unlock" feature on smartphones and tablets.

The patent in question - EP1964022 - relates to the process of unlocking a mobile device by swiping a finger from one part of the touchscreen to another.

Motorola said that it planned to appeal the verdict, and claimed that the judgment would have "no impact" on its supply or future sales, reports BBC News.

A spokeswoman for the firm said that the patent ruling "concerns a software feature related to phone unlocking in select Motorola devices sold in Germany".

She added: "Motorola has implemented a new design for the feature. Therefore, we expect no impact on current supply or future sales."

Apple declined to comment on the ruling.

Smartphone and tablet maker Motorola Mobility is in the process of being acquired by Google, the creator of the Android operating system.

This is expected to trigger a major worldwide patent tussle between Apple and Google, as the two firms battle for dominance in the mobile operating systems market.

Patent consultant Florian Mueller described the ruling as a "very significant win for Apple against Android".

Mueller said that the patent ruling relates solely to the German market, but it could help Apple settle disputes involving makers of the Android device around the world.

He also noted that, in early March, one of Apple's slide-to-unlock patent cases against Samsung - a key customer of Google's Android - will be adjudicated in Mannheim, Germany.

"After Google closes the acquisition of Motorola Mobility, the Apple-Motorola Mobility dispute will soon gain importance transcending that of the global battle with Samsung," Mueller said in a blog post.

He added: "Apple is already asserting the slide-to-unlock patent in different jurisdictions against all three leading Android device makers and might use it against even more of them going forward."

Another case brought by Apple against Motorola pertained to a photo gallery page-turning patent, but that has been postponed by the German court.