Apple Going After Android Through Manufacturers?

PC World is reporting today that Apple has filed suit against Android handset developer Motorola, for infringing on their multi-touch patents. Specifically, Apple is saying that Motorola infringed on this patent by including multi-touch on the following Android devices:

• Droid
• Droid 2
• Droid X
• Cliq
• Cliq XT
• BackFlip
• Devour A555
• Devour i1
• Charm

The PC World article references a piece from Patently Apple, talking about the specifics of the lawsuit.  Namely, the fact that Motorola used multi point screens on their devices, among other alleged infringements dealing with using more than one finger or pointing device to manipulate a device.

What is interesting is the lawsuit comes after Motorola filed suit against Apple for 20 different patent infringements dealing with a myriad number of issues.  The move on Apple’s part could be seen as a counter suit to above mentioned attack from Motorola.  We live in a day and age where big companies have whole staff’s of lawyers whose entire existence is to find people to sue for patent and copyright infringements, bringing in a strong source of revenue as companies know that it is cheaper to settle out of court than go through a whole trial. 

But the question must be asked; is Apple using these lawsuits to attack Android through one of the major handset manufacturers for the platform?  We have seen lately just how concerned Apple CEO Steve Jobs is with Android, so it is not too much of a stretch to think about the idea that Apple sees multi layered benefits to suing a company that brought itself back from the edge of extinction using the Android platform.

Of course, it could just be a matter of business, and the idea that Apple is going after Android through Motorola just a wild jump in my mind, but, I can’t seem to shake the thought that it is very interesting that Apple isn’t suing all manufacturers of Smart Phones using multi-touch.  Time will tell as the suits move forward.