It certainly looks like Motorola is on a streak when it comes to winning lawsuits. Earlier today we reported that Motorola had won an injunction against Microsoft for Windows 7 and the Xbox 360, and now it looks like a federal court judge in Chicago has sided with Motorola when he ruled that Apple’s “finger-swipe” patent infringement claim was not the same as tapping an item on screen, essentially handing the victory to Motorola.
Judge Richard A. Posner’s ruling encompasses six applications on Motorola’s devices that Apple claims violated their “finger-swipe” patent. This includes browsing photographs, musical album covers, and YouTube videos. According to the judge, “Apple contends that the finger swipe is equivalent to a finger tap because the two gestures are interchangeable […] If consumers distinguish between the two, they are not interchangeable.” While this is certainly a victory for Motorola, it should be noted that this is only one of the several claims that Apple had made against them over alleged patent infringements which are expected to be tried starting on the 11th of June.