"Build it and they will come" they said, but perhaps if Apple had known "they" meant patent lawyers they might've been less impressed.  Klausner Technologies Inc. has filed a $360m suit against the makers of the iPhone regarding its Visual Voicemail interface, claiming that it impinges on US patent 5,572,576 granted in 1996, which documents a system of displaying messages in a selectable-list format.

Also targeted are Comcast Corp, Cablevision Systems Corp and Skype, with Klausner pressing for a combined $300m damages from the three.  The company has prior form in this, with Vonage apparently licencing the voicemail technology in October 2007 after Klausner filed against them the previous year, and AOL Voicemail also a licence holder.

The $660m total is based upon damages and estimated future royalties; Cablevision reportedly are yet to see the suit, while each of the other companies declined to comment.

[via ZDNet]