A US jury decided to ignore all prior art claims against Samsung and ruled that Steve Jobs invented the rounded rectangle. Although the Jury's decision is almost certain to be overturned, or at least delayed, investors think that it could give Nokia the breathing space it needs to elbow its way into the market.
Nokia and its chum Microsoft have paid Apple what ever it wanted to gain licences from Apple. The condition was that it did not copy Jobs' Mob's designs. Nordea analyst Sami Sarkamies told Reuters that Microsoft and Nokia as the main beneficiaries of the ruling.
Shares in Nokia were 10.2 percent higher at 2.746 euros by 0835 GMT. Microsoft's European-listed shares were 1.6 percent higher. As Android and Apple tear each other apart, Microsoft has been waiting in the wings and is in a good position to move in and entice users to switch from Android to Microsoft.
"Brand loyalty is already low," Sarkamies said.
Nokia is expected to launch its first smartphones using a new version of Windows Phone software in early September.
Microsoft has paid its Jobs' Mob protection money
Troubled mobile phone outfit Nokia saw its shares increase by 10 percent as investors started to realise that Friday's daft court decision places Microsoft in a stronger position against Android.
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