“Patent troll” wants to charge Apple $4,22 for every iPhone sold
A report produced by an expert from JP Morgan bank recently designed that Apple is expected to sell around 230 million iPhone devices in 2021 and, this Wednesday (31/03), the Law 360 website reported that a company, PanOptis, wants a slice of this huge revenue. In a possible patent troll attack against the Apple.
The claim in the courts against the Apple is that it, PanOptis, holds the registrations for 4G LTE technology, used in versions of the iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. A Texas court has already ruled in favor of the company, claiming that the Apple failed to disprove the company's patent claims, and ruled that Apple will have to pay $506,2 million for "intentional patent infringement."
Never heard of PanOptis? That's normal: the company is accused of being a patent troll. It doesn't produce or develop technology. Instead, it sues companies for "its" copyright. their website only talks about copyright.
For those unfamiliar with the term, patent trolls are the nickname given to companies that do not manufacture or invent anything, but buy or register generic and deliberately dubious patents, with the sole purpose of making money in court. Unwired Planet, a Panoptics group, holds patents purchased from Panasonic and Ericsson, among others. These patents are used to create extrajudicial notifications to other companies, accusing them of patent infringement, and lawsuits, when their demands are not met. When they do not win the case, they can reach an agreement to cease the attacks, since they, unlike technology companies, are basically a team of lawyers to sue the others.
PanOptis wants more
Despite winning a half-billion dollar battle against Apple, PanOptis claimed that, as the Apple will continue to sell iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch with “its” 4G technology continuously, it deserves to receive a cut of each product sold. The intention is to earn US$ 4,22 per iPhone, US$ 3,62 per iPad and US$2,25 per Apple Watch that are sold and infringe your patent.
“The case law and facts strongly support a continuing royalty at a rate higher than that awarded by the jury per patent, per unit,” the company said in justifying the continuation of the lawsuit. Apple, in turn, is contesting not only the new request, but also the US$506,2 million it already lost in the first instance.
The claim is that “the framing of the issue grouped nine claims from five patents into one issue, making it impossible to know which of PanOptis’ claims the jury agreed with in its answer.” Apple, treating it as an outlandish case of patent trolling, added that “no reasonable jury could have concluded that the patent claims were infringed.”
Through which channels you reach those people, classic and out of the box. Apple Insider e AppleWorld Today
Image: Wolfgang Eckert/Pixabay/CC
