Apple's iPhone, iPad & more targeted in new lawsuit over LTE patents

Posted:
in iPhone
A group of firms operating under the aegis of Optis Wireless Technology are suing Apple over seven patents connected to LTE cellular standards.

iPhone X


Every LTE Apple device is affected, including not just iPhones but iPads and the Apple Watch, according to court documents. The plaintiffs say that as recently as January 2017, they were talking to Apple about licensing patents on FRAND (fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory) terms, but came to no agreement.

Optis and its associates appear to be patent "trolls" -- businesses that produce no tangible product and instead depend on patent licenses and lawsuits to generate income. The case was in fact filed through the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, infamous for siding with patent holders and being quicker than some other available courts.

Many of the plaintiffs' patents were purchased over the years from technology companies like Ericsson, Samsung, and LG. Nevertheless the complaint asks for a jury trial, and damages "at least in the form of reasonable royalties."

Based on its history Apple will likely try to get the case dismissed, or if not, settled out of court. The company already pays substantial sums in royalties, and adding more could cost millions of dollars per year.

Adding some precedent against Apple is that in August, the District Court found Huawei in violation of the same patents. That cost the Chinese smartphone maker $10.6 million.

The Optis complaint was discovered by MacRumors.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 19
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    parasite | ˈperəˌsīt | noun
    An organism that lives in or on another organism (its host) and benefits by deriving nutrients at the host's expense• derogatory a person who habitually relies on or exploits others and gives nothing in return
    macseekermattinozradarthekatdysamoriafotoformatolsnetmagegilly33watto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 19
    Shouldn’t these guys sue Intel or Qualcomm for the LTE related problem?

    i need to file a patent in US that claim if some electronic connects to some other electronic with magical electronically that do things we have not dream of yet. So I can sue everyone, especially Apple. And donate all the money to the lawyer association of USA and maybe some poor kids in mother Russia.  Then my life is fulfilled.
    edited February 2019 netmagewatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 19
    Or maybe Apple should be fair and pay what is owed for using licensed technology.  Why does Apple always get the benefit of the doubt here. Apple is just as greedy.
  • Reply 4 of 19
    buckkalu said:
    Or maybe Apple should be fair and pay what is owed for using licensed technology.  Why does Apple always get the benefit of the doubt here. Apple is just as greedy.
    And you're and idiot troll......
    MplsPnetmagegilly33watto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 19
    buckkalu said:
    Or maybe Apple should be fair and pay what is owed for using licensed technology.  Why does Apple always get the benefit of the doubt here. Apple is just as greedy.
    Apple pays the chip manufacturers whose price certainly includes their patent fees. This is double billing: greed at its finest. 
    mwhitemacseekerdysamorianetmagegilly33watto_cobraurahara
  • Reply 6 of 19
    If you wonder why the Eastern District of Texas is so popular for patent trolls, this is well worth viewing. Incredible!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG9UMMq2dz4

    Not surprisingly, Apple will  be closing its two retail stores that reside in the Eastern District of Texas (Willow Bend in Plano, TX and Stonebriar in Frisco, TX) and opening one in Dallas (just outside of the E.D.T.).

    https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-is-closing-its-two-eastern-texas-stores-for-a-brilliant-reason-2019-2


    macseekerwonkothesaneicoco3gilly33watto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 19
    mknelsonmknelson Posts: 1,120member

    Adding some precedent against Apple is that in August, the District Court found Huawei in violation of the same patents. That cost the Chinese smartphone maker $10.6 million.
    Doesn't Huawei make their own LTE chips?
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 19
    Jay7 said:
    Not surprisingly, Apple will  be closing its two retail stores that reside in the Eastern District of Texas (Willow Bend in Plano, TX and 
    Stonebriar in Frisco, TX) and opening one in Dallas (just outside of the E.D.T.).

    https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-is-closing-its-two-eastern-texas-stores-for-a-brilliant-reason-2019-2


    Well, that sucks. Those are the closest Apple stores to where I live. The Frisco store always received a lot of foot traffic too.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 19
    That is one of the many reasons why I don't want to have my own company, especially a large and successful one. Lawsuits, litigations, annoying customers, all will eat into your profits and hard work.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 19
    radarthekatradarthekat Posts: 3,842moderator
    buckkalu said:
    Or maybe Apple should be fair and pay what is owed for using licensed technology.  Why does Apple always get the benefit of the doubt here. Apple is just as greedy.
    It’s likeky indirect infringement.  In other words, the patents bring infringed, if indeed they are being infringed, are likely being infringed by the LTE chipsets.  The patent holders are smart to go after Apple, as that’s where the infringement is being expressed in a product.  But you may be 100% certain Apple’s contracts with all of its suppliers holds them 100% liable for indirect infringement costs related to the components they supply.  
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 19
    dysamoriadysamoria Posts: 3,430member
    RIP, the American patent system.

    Also, didn’t we already have some other troll do a lawsuit exactly like this, somewhat recently?
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 19
    DAalsethDAalseth Posts: 2,783member
    I wonder what it's like to be a parasite? To wake up every morning knowing that you make nothing, invent nothing, create nothing. To only live by claiming the fruit of other people's labour. By sucking the lifeblood from companies that would otherwise use those resources to invent things to delight people, assist people, even save people's lives. I wonder what it's like to wake up knowing that you are deep down a waste of skin.
    netmagegilly33watto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 19
    k2kwk2kw Posts: 2,075member
    buckkalu said:
    Or maybe Apple should be fair and pay what is owed for using licensed technology.  Why does Apple always get the benefit of the doubt here. Apple is just as greedy.
    Why doesn’t Apple do the work to develop patents for FRAND.   They are like the annoying guy at work who always expects help from everyone else but never helps anyone.
  • Reply 14 of 19
    Jay7 said:
    If you wonder why the Eastern District of Texas is so popular for patent trolls, this is well worth viewing. Incredible!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG9UMMq2dz4

    Not surprisingly, Apple will  be closing its two retail stores that reside in the Eastern District of Texas (Willow Bend in Plano, TX and Stonebriar in Frisco, TX) and opening one in Dallas (just outside of the E.D.T.).

    https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-is-closing-its-two-eastern-texas-stores-for-a-brilliant-reason-2019-2



    I'm surprised AI hasn't done a story about this yet. I think it is a big deal that Apple decided to do this.
    gilly33watto_cobra
  • Reply 15 of 19
    buckkalu said:
    Or maybe Apple should be fair and pay what is owed for using licensed technology.  Why does Apple always get the benefit of the doubt here. Apple is just as greedy.
    It’s likeky indirect infringement.  In other words, the patents bring infringed, if indeed they are being infringed, are likely being infringed by the LTE chipsets.  The patent holders are smart to go after Apple, as that’s where the infringement is being expressed in a product.  But you may be 100% certain Apple’s contracts with all of its suppliers holds them 100% liable for indirect infringement costs related to the components they supply.  

    Then what is the purpose of writing the article? To just keep scratching the itch of patent trolls and stir up the fandom?
  • Reply 16 of 19
    Jay7 said:
    If you wonder why the Eastern District of Texas is so popular for patent trolls, this is well worth viewing. Incredible!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG9UMMq2dz4

    Not surprisingly, Apple will  be closing its two retail stores that reside in the Eastern District of Texas (Willow Bend in Plano, TX and Stonebriar in Frisco, TX) and opening one in Dallas (just outside of the E.D.T.).

    https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-is-closing-its-two-eastern-texas-stores-for-a-brilliant-reason-2019-2


    Thanks for the links. Just....wow. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 19
    RhythmagicRhythmagic Posts: 63unconfirmed, member
    The righteous will prevail
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 18 of 19
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    Today the court ruled that Apple did infringe and ordered to pay half a $B for doing so. TBH I'm surprised. 
  • Reply 19 of 19
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    Jay7 said:
    If you wonder why the Eastern District of Texas is so popular for patent trolls, this is well worth viewing. Incredible!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG9UMMq2dz4

    Not surprisingly, Apple will  be closing its two retail stores that reside in the Eastern District of Texas (Willow Bend in Plano, TX and Stonebriar in Frisco, TX) and opening one in Dallas (just outside of the E.D.T.).

    https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-is-closing-its-two-eastern-texas-stores-for-a-brilliant-reason-2019-2


    Thanks for the links. Just....wow. 
    A useless effort in hindsight as the new favorite venue for patent infringement cases has become...

    The Western District of Texas, which includes Dallas. 
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