The years-long patent battle between Apple and Caltech might end with a truce
Back in 2016, a legal drama starring Apple and The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) kicked off. Caltech took Apple and chipmaker Broadcom to court, claiming that millions of Apple devices, including iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches, which used Broadcom chips, violated their wireless communication patents.
Fast forward to today, Reuters reports on the latest developments in this case, stating that Caltech, Apple, and Broadcom might be reaching a settlement. According to a recent court filing, Caltech has reached a “potential settlement”.
The agreement came to light in a document submitted to the US District Court in Los Angeles. However, the specifics of the settlement, whether it involves both Apple and Broadcom and the exact amount remain unclear since all the parties have to file a joint status report by August 18.
Last year, a US appeals court put the brakes on the previous judgment, stating that the whopping $1.1 billion sum that Apple and Broadcom were ordered to pay to Caltech for trampling on its Wi-Fi tech patents was “legally unsupportable”. The court ordered a new trial on damages.
The trial was supposed to begin in June 2023 but got indefinitely postponed in May. So, to sum it up, Caltech initially hit a jackpot of over $1.1 billion from Apple and Broadcom, only to see that overturned later. And now, things seem to be veering toward a settlement, which details are yet to emerge.
Just a few days back, Caltech also made peace with Samsung, settling a 2021 lawsuit over the use of Wi-Fi chips in Galaxy phones, tablets, and watches that stepped on the same wireless communication patents owned by the university. Caltech isn't stopping there – it's also aiming its legal guns at Microsoft, Dell, and HP over these patents.
The agreement came to light in a document submitted to the US District Court in Los Angeles. However, the specifics of the settlement, whether it involves both Apple and Broadcom and the exact amount remain unclear since all the parties have to file a joint status report by August 18.
After the lawsuit for allegedly copying certain Caltech technology in a Broadcom chip, used in all Apple devices since the iPhone 5 was initially filed in 2016, a jury in 2020 slapped Apple with a bill of $837.8 million and Broadcom with $270.2 million in damages for patent infringement. Naturally, both companies weren't pleased and appealed the decision.
Last year, a US appeals court put the brakes on the previous judgment, stating that the whopping $1.1 billion sum that Apple and Broadcom were ordered to pay to Caltech for trampling on its Wi-Fi tech patents was “legally unsupportable”. The court ordered a new trial on damages.
Just a few days back, Caltech also made peace with Samsung, settling a 2021 lawsuit over the use of Wi-Fi chips in Galaxy phones, tablets, and watches that stepped on the same wireless communication patents owned by the university. Caltech isn't stopping there – it's also aiming its legal guns at Microsoft, Dell, and HP over these patents.
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