There is scarcely another device in existence containing as many patents as a smartphone. In the cell phone industry patent suits therefore form part of the day-to-day business. Such disputes mostly take place in Germany. Patent suits are concluded faster in Germany than in the USA, and are noticeably more cost-effective, explains Dr. Bernd Allekotte, patent litigator at the Grünecker firm, Munich office. Non Practicing Entities (“NPE’s”) such as IPCom specialize in such actions. They purchase a large number of smaller patents. They then file an action against their use - as presently pending before Mannheim District Court in a lawsuit with Apple.