Factbox: Nokia vs Apple legal battle

(Reuters) - Nokia and iPhone-maker Apple, battling over patents and a firmer grip of the smartphone market, will seek a U.S. trial only in mid-2012, raising the specter of a prolonged legal struggle.

Following are the key developments in the legal battle:

NOKIA OCTOBER ATTACK

Nokia filed a suit in the United States in October 2009, saying Apple iPhone had infringed 10 patents in technologies including wireless data transfer, a key factor in the success of iPhone. The suit accused Apple of trying to hitch a "free ride" on Nokia's technology investment.

APPLE COUNTERATTACK

Apple filed a countersuit on December 11 claiming that Nokia is infringing 13 Apple patents.

It later removed four patents from the list.

"Other companies must compete with us by inventing their own technologies, not just by stealing ours," Bruce Sewell, Apple's General Counsel, said in a statement.

Nokia and Apple expect trials to take place in 2012.

ITC

On December 29 Nokia said it had filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) alleging that Apple infringes seven Nokia patents in "virtually all of its mobile phones, portable music players, and computers" sold.

Apple filed on January 15 a complaint against Nokia with the ITC.

The ITC has decided it would start investigations based on both complaints.

(Reporting by Tarmo Virki)