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Jan. 29, 2009

Today, Apple said it has won a U.S. patent for its multitouch-enabled technology used on the iPhone that it started selling in July 2008.

Wireless industry analysts think that Apple's new patent could be a potential legal weapon against some of its competitors, namely the RIM (Research in Motion) BlackBerry smartphone.

The news come as Apple’s comments to the media have alluded to some displeasure with Palm’s encroachment on its technology.

The question being asked now in "mobile circles" is whether this was a preliminary move by Apple to file a lawsuit against Palm for theft of intellectual property...

Apple recently announced record-high quarterly profits amid an increasingly unpredictable macroeconomic environment.

Palm's shares today were down 38 cents, or over 5 percent, to $6.99. Apple's stock was up 71 cents, less than one percent, to $90.35.

Apple's Tim Cook, COO, issued a thinly-veiled threat during an earnings conference call.

He was quoted as saying “we think competition is good. We are ready to suit up and go against anyone. But we won't stand for having our intellectual property taken away from us and we will use whatever weapons at our disposal.”

But Cook didn't go so far as to mention Palm or the Pre directly, however.

Lynn Fox, Palm spokeswoman and an ex-Apple employee, responded in a statement.

“Palm has a long history of innovation that is reflected in our products and robust patent portfolio, and we have long been recognized for our fundamental patents in the mobile space," stated Fox.

The statement went on to say "if faced with legal action, we are very confident that we have all the tools necessary to defend ourselves.”

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    This article was featured on Business 5.0 and on Tech Blog.

Source: Apple.