Nokia has threatened to withhold key intellectual property from licensing if a proposal from Apple is approved as the new Sim card standard. The two companies are vying to have rival Sim designs recognised by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) as the industry standard for the new nano Sim. Nokia has complained that Apple has abused the ETSI selection process, and claimed that Apple's proposed standard does not meet ETSI's requirements. According to the Financial Times, Nokia has threatened to withdraw about 50 Sim card-related patents from ETSI if the Apple proposal is approved. This would not affect companies already making other types of Sim cards, but would prevent anyone from building a Sim card to Apple's design. "We believe that Apple is misusing the standardisation process, seeking to impose its own proprietary solution on the industry and using ETSI merely to rubber stamp its proposal, rather than following established principles and practices," said Nokia CTO Henry Tirri. "Nokia is not willing to contribute its own IPR to the standard, if the Apple proposal is selected in violation of ETSI's rules. Nokia holds more than 50 patent families covering Sim-related technologies that we believe may be essential to Apple's proposal. We have informed ETSI that, if Apple's proposal is selected, then Nokia will not license its relevant patents to that standard," Nokia said. A vote on which standard to adopt will take place on 29 March. Nokia's alternative design is backed by Research In Motion and Motorola Mobility.
