The Strategist

Apple to Pay $ 625.6 Million for Patent Dispute with VirnetX



02/05/2016 - 14:50



Federal Court for the Eastern District of Texas in the United States found Apple guilty of violating VirnetX company’s patents, and ordered to pay $ 625.6 million, according to AppleInsider, with reference to the judgment.



flickr: barjack
flickr: barjack
As follows from the verdict, Apple had violated a number of patents owned by VirnetX. In particular, the court decided that the California corporation used without permission VirnetX’s owned intellectual property to create apps for video calls FaceTime and iMessage instant messaging service.

VirnetX first went to court in 2012. It accused Apple of illegally using secure communications technology patented by the company. The court ordered Apple to pay VirnetX $ 368,2 million. However, the decision was later rejected by appeals court.

Apple itself said it was "surprised and disappointed by the decision" of the Court and intends to appeal, told the Corporation’s spokesman to Wall Street Journal. He added that such court cases are another proof of the fact that patent laws are in urgent need of reform.

Initially, sum of the re-lawsuit filed in January 2016 was $ 532 million. It increased after it became clear that Apple still continues to illegally use VirnetX’s technology.

The licensing company VirnetX is engaged in intellectual property and located in Nevada. It owns a large portfolio of patents for various technologies. Earlier, VirnetX has led litigation with such corporations as Microsoft, Cisco and others. First, in particular, had to pay the Nevada company more than $ 200 million in the proceedings for violations of patents on technology used in to Skype.

Apple has repeatedly been drawn on charges of patent infringement by other developers. For example, the court ordered the company to pay $ 234 million to Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation for illegal use of technology processors in October 2015.

source: appleinsider.com