Apple’s been forced to settle a lawsuit brought against the company by Klausner Technology Inc over its Visual Voicemail technology.
The settlement means Apple will now licence Klausner Technology’s patents for its iPhone handset, leaving the company free to offer the features to rival manufacturers.
That means BlackBerry, Sony Ericsson, Nokia and Samsung are all in the frame to grab a one more of Apple’s previously exclusive offerings.
The terms of Apple’s settlement are not known, but it’s likely to have been less than the original lawsuit, which claimed $360 million from Apple and AT&T.