Apple Just Erased a $300 Million Problem--But a $500M One Still Lurks
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) just caught a break in a legal saga that's dragged on for years. A U.S. federal appeals court has tossed out a $300 million jury verdict that found Apple liable for infringing wireless patents held by Optis Wireless Technology. The court flagged a key flaw in how the trial judge bundled all the patents into a single infringement questionstripping Apple of its right to a unanimous jury decision on each individual claim. As a result, the case now heads back to Texas for yet another trial, covering both infringement and damages.
The battle dates back to 2019, when Optis sued Apple over LTE standard-essential patents used in iPhones and other devices. The original jury handed down a $506 million verdict. That was later reduced to $300 million in a retrialonly for the latest ruling to wipe the slate clean again. Meanwhile, Optis isn't backing down. The firm insists its patents are critical for high-speed connectivity and says it remains highly confident that the court will eventually recognize their value. Apple hasn't responded publicly to this latest development.
But that's not the only front where Apple is fighting. Just last month, a UK court separately ruled that Apple owes Optis $502 million for violating similar patentsa decision the company plans to appeal. While Apple's win this week could ease near-term legal pressure in the U.S., the broader IP battle is far from resolved. For investors, the key takeaway: this is a reminder that when it comes to standard-essential patents, courtroom wins can flip fastand nothing is final until it's final.
This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
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