Man who says he invented the iPhone 24 years ago sues Apple for £7.5 billion

The first generation of iPhone was announced in 2007, but one man claims to have come up with the idea fifteen years previously.

Thomas Ross from Florida, has filed a lawsuit against Apple this week claiming the Californian tech giant's products infringe on his invention of an 'Electronic Reading Device'.

Mr Ross claims that between May 23, 1992 and September 10, 1992, he designed three hand-drawn technical drawings of the device.

Mr Ross claims that between May 23, 1992 and September 10, 1992, he designed three hand-drawn technical drawings of the device. These consisted of flat rectangular panels with rounded corners that 'embodied a fusion of design and function in a way that never existed prior to 1992'.

These included flat rectangular panels with rounded corners that 'embodied a fusion of design and function in a way that never existed prior to 1992.'

According to Mac Rumours, Mr Ross applied for a utility patent to protect his invention in November 1992, but the application was declared abandoned in April 1995 by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office after he failed to pay the required application fees.

The claim is for $10 billion (£7.5 billion) and a royalty of up to 1.5 per cent on Apple's worldwide sales of infringing devices.

The court filing claims the plaintiff was 'first to file a device so designed and aggregated,' nearly 15 years before the first iPhone.

Mr Ross' device allowed the user to read stories, novels, news articles, as well as look at pictures, watch video presentations, or even movies, on a flat touch-screen that was back-lit, the lawsuit says.

Thomas Ross, a man from Florida, has filed a lawsuit against Apple this week claiming the Californian tech giant's products infringe on his invention of an 'Electronic Reading Device'.

According to Mac Rumours, Mr Ross applied for a utility patent to protect his invention in November 1992, but the application was declared abandoned in April 1995 by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office after he failed to pay the required application fees.

It could include communication functions, such as a phone and a modem, input/output capability, so as to allow the user to write notes, and store reading and writing material usig internal and external storage media.

But although the iPhone was not released until 2007, the Apple Newton started development in 1987 and was released in 1993.

The Newton was the first to be called a 'personal digital assistant' and was the first device to feature handwriting recognition.

Since it began development in 1987, its design clearly predates the drawings in question.

A spokesman from Apple told MailOnline the company declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Although the iPhone was not released until 2007, the Apple Newton started development in 1987 and was released in 1993. The Newton (picutred left) was the first to be called a 'personal digital assistant' and was the first device to feature handwriting recognition.