Apple secures victory in long-running 4G patent dispute
What's the story
Apple has won a major legal battle in the US, defeating Texas-based Optis Wireless in a long-running patent infringement dispute. The case dates back to 2019 when Optis accused Apple of infringing five patents related to various 4G/LTE networking technologies. The patents in question were US Patent Nos. 8,019,332; 8,385,284; 8,411,557; 9,001,774; and 8,102,833.
Legal proceedings
Initial jury award of $506 million
In 2020, a jury had sided with Optis and awarded the company $506 million in damages. However, Apple appealed the decision, winning on the grounds that the damages did not comply with fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory (FRAND) licensing terms. The case was sent back for a retrial where Optis again won but this time with a reduced award of $300 million.
Jury process
Third trial victory for Apple
Apple successfully appealed the second verdict, citing issues with the jury process and damages methodology. This led to a third trial, which concluded recently with a unanimous jury in the Eastern District of Texas ruling that Apple had not infringed any of the five patents asserted by Optis in its original lawsuit.
Verdict reaction
Apple's response to verdict
Responding to the verdict, Apple thanked the jury for their time and expressed satisfaction that they rejected Optis's claims. The tech giant also criticized Optis as a company that doesn't make products but sues others for unreasonable payouts. As for Optis, there has been no comment on the verdict yet but an appeal could be on the cards.
Ongoing litigation
Ongoing litigation in the UK
It's worth noting that while Apple has won this US case, a separate Optis lawsuit is still pending in the UK. The case is scheduled to proceed later this year. This ongoing litigation shows that Apple's legal battles with Optis are far from over, despite its recent victory in the US patent infringement case.