Maybe winning a huge amount of $625 million from Apple isn’t just enough for some companies! Amidst the VirnetX Apple lawsuit, Patent troll wants Apple to shut down iMessage and FaceTime app.
After VirnetX, a Nevada-based company indulged in licensing patents, won a patent case, the company requested judge to order Apple to give up tech inside iOS and Mac chat apps. According to lawsuit, Apple Inc. must pay VirnetX Holding Corp a sum of $625 million. The sum comes as a payback for using patent licensing company’s Internet security tech without official permission in iMessage and FaceTime app.
A federal jury in Texas disclosed the news in a statement. VirnetX claimed an amount of $532 million against Apple on January 25, in Tyler, Texas.
According to after-hours trading, VirnetX stocks traded $9.30 with an up 94 percent from Wednesday close. Apple went 45 cents down to $95.90. The court verdict poses big blow to Apple, despite that Apple Inc. January reports show cash pile of $216 billion.
Amount still seems high for a patent lawsuit.
Apple reverted in a statement for appeal.
“We are surprised and disappointed by the verdict”, the company said.
“Cases like this simply reinforce the desperate need for patent reform”, the statement added.
Apple on Wednesday filed court papers to U.S District Judge Robert Schroeder to help declare a mistrial. The company charged VirnetX’s attorneys to have misled the jury during closing arguments.
No confirmations received if Schroeder ruled on the request.
VirnetX lawyer Jason Cassady said in a statement,
“The jury saw what we have been saying all along: Apple has been infringing VirnetX’s patented technology for years.”
Story behind VirnetX Apple lawsuit
VirnetX first sued Apple in 2010 for iPhone makers secure networks (VPNs), secure communications links in Apple’s FaceTime video conferencing app.
Another VirnetX Apple lawsuit appeared in 2012 where jury found Apple infringed four VirnetX patents with iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad products, and Mac computers. 2012 VirnetX Apple lawsuit costs Apple $368.2 million in damages.
Retrial added claims for another VirnetX Apple lawsuit in 2012 against newer versions of Apple security features and iMessage app.
Court papers show VirnetX owns four patents under Science Applications Corp in 2006.
VirnetX received $200 reward in damages from Microsoft Corp in May, 2010 over VPN technology.
The VirnetX Apple lawsuit case is filed as VirnetX Inc v. Apple Inc in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, No. 12-cv-855.
