US trade body starts Apple patent probe

The United States International Trade Commission decided yesterday to start an investigation of whether Apple infringes upon Nokia's patents, the trade body's internet page showed.

In late December, Nokia filed a claim with the ITC, alleging that Apple had infringed seven of its patents in "virtually all of its mobile phones, portable music players, and computers" sold.

The two companies are in the midst of a major legal battle, which started last October when Nokia charged Apple for using its patented technologies without paying for them.