Nokia claims patent infringement on Google Nexus 7 tablet

'Buy a licence', Finnish firm tells Google and Asus

Google's first own-branded tablet, the Nexus 7, may infringe patents owned by Nokia, claims the Finnish company.

The Nexus 7 was announced last week as a low-cost, quad-core device running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, as Google looks to take the battle for a chunk of the tablet market directly to Apple, Microsoft and Amazon.

Google raised eyebrows when it was announced that the device was being made by Taiwanese manufacturer Asus. Asus makes its own popular line of netbooks as well as components for a number of other technology giants, including HP and Apple.

The debut of the new device has not gone down well with Nokia, as the struggling Finnish mobile phone maker believes that both Google and Asus have not licensed the technologies covered by Nokia patents.

"Nokia has more than 40 licensees, mainly for its standards-essential patent portfolio, including most of the mobile device manufacturers. Neither Google nor Asus is licensed under our patent portfolio," said a Nokia spokesperson in a statement.

Unlike in other recent battles between vendors over technology patents, Nokia is urging Google and Asus to obtain the relevant licences.

"Companies not yet licensed under our standard essential patents should simply approach us and sign up for a licence," said the spokesperson.