Apple slapped with lawsuit over electronic books on iPhone

A new lawsuit is targeting Apple's moves to tap the growing electronic book market. A Swiss company called Monec Holding AG is suing Apple in U.S. District Court in Virginia for patent infringement and unfair trade practices, among other things. Monec alleges Apple violated its 2002 patent called "Electronic device, preferably an electronic book."

Apple offers a variety of e-book applications for the iPhone. The case could also have implications for Amazon.com, which recently came out with its own Kindle app for the popular iPhone as a way to expand the reach of its electronic book store.

Monec is seeking an injunction against Apple; damages including lost profits, "reasonable" royalties, and interest; and attorney fees. See the complaint here (pdf, 7 pages). Monec, on its website, describes itself as a "leading innovator for mobile, globally usable communication solutions."

Amazon offers a number of third-party e-book applications on iTunes, including Stanza, eReader, Shortcovers, and others.

With the electronic book market gaining traction, patent claims seem to be piling up. Amazon recently got slapped with a patent infringement lawsuit by Discovery Communications, producer of the Discovery Channel and Animal Planet. Discovery alleges that Amazon's Kindle readers violate one of its electronic book patents. 

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