Apple Slammed With $368 Million Settlement For Infringing on Network Patents

[Phillip Swanson]

Apple found themselves on the wrong side of a $368 million damages claim today.

A Texas court ordered Apple to pay $368.2 million in damages to patent holding and security software company VirnetX today. VirnetX filed suit against Apple for violating network patents the company holds and originally asked for $900 million in damages.

VirnetX is a bonafide patent troll. The company has a history of suing major tech companies for patent infringement. VirnetX originally patented technologies used in creating virtual private networks over the Internet. VirnetX, being the first one to the trough leveraged their patents against companies like Microsoft ($200 settlement) and now other companies like Avaya, Cisco, and Apple are dealing with lawsuits.

VirnetX isn’t just satisfied with their latest win against Apple. VirnetX is leveraging a similar patent in a U.S. International Trade Commission investigation that if ruled against Apple would prevent Apple from importing their devices to the U.S. Obviously VirnetX would rather Apple settle out of court than the ITC ban their products as the later decision doesn’t line VirnetX’s pockets.

Source: CNET

[Anonymous]

"Oh no! 368 mil!" - Tim Cook

Wipes tears away with one hundred dollar bill tissues.

[thevmax]

"Oh no! 368 mil!" - Tim Cook

Wipes tears away with one hundred dollar bill tissues.

<<< Now THAT'S FUNNY!

Tim Cook to his wife, "Honey we can't go out for dinner tonight. I've got to pay that stupid court bill!"

[NakedFaerie]

THIS is good news

[og_mudbone]

$200 settlement from microsoft? lol

[rcm]

that's chump change for them, in one weekend they sold 3 million iPad mini, at $350 each for the 16gb model alone is more than enough to pay that settlement twice.

[browne81]

that's chump change for them, in one weekend they sold 3 million iPad mini, at $350 each for the 16gb model alone is more than enough to pay that settlement twice.

I believe it costs apple 188 to make the ipad mini. So that would be 329-188=141 141 times 3 mil is 423mil

[Alluziion]

"Oh no! 368 mil!" - Tim Cook

Wipes tears away with one hundred dollar bill tissues.

$368m is a lot of money, even to Apple; just because a company may have enormous cash reserves, it's still a business and every dollar counts. Plus, the damage this could do to brand and share value could be an even larger problem.

[drigo1178]

I believe it costs apple 188 to make the ipad mini. So that would be 329-188=141 141 times 3 mil is 423mil

you still have to add marketing, shipping, boxing, cost to operate stores etc. end of it all im sure they are getting less than half of the 141.

to the author - can you site which patents were supposedly infringed?

[Raybeast]

"Oh no! 368 mil!" - Tim Cook

Wipes tears away with one hundred dollar bill tissues.

Haha!

[0055]

Peanuts!

[feidhlim1986]

The amount may be nothing to Apple but it shows they can be challenged and lose. They shove around their own "claims" against competitors thinking they can't be touched.

[Painkiller006]

"Oh no! 368 mil!" - Tim Cook

Wipes tears away with one hundred dollar bill tissues.

It could be 1 mil, money is money at the end of the day and no one likes to loose money. So it may seem like it's nothing but to Apple that's 368 mil they just lost

[iPhoneThereforeIAm]

Sweet.
Good to see Apple getting kicked squarely in the patents.

[iLoveWindows&iPhone]

The amount may be nothing to Apple but it shows they can be challenged and lose. They shove around their own "claims" against competitors thinking they can't be touched.

So Apple gets sued and its legit. But if Apple sues anyone, it's just a "claim" they are making. The fact that Apple won, doesn't change in your eyes that it was more than just a "claim"? And why on Earth would you think Apple believes they are untouchable? Just because that's what your little biased brain believes? Of course Apple knows they are going to get sued, they have a massive legal defense team to prove it. Stop being the Fox News of your own mind and believing anything you make up is true.

[Anonymous]

So Apple gets sued and its legit. But if Apple sues anyone, it's just a "claim" they are making. The fact that Apple won, doesn't change in your eyes that it was more than just a "claim"? And why on Earth would you think Apple believes they are untouchable? Just because that's what your little biased brain believes? Of course Apple knows they are going to get sued, they have a massive legal defense team to prove it. Stop being the Fox News of your own mind and believing anything you make up is true.

Agreed.

[GeoffS4]

This should be fine for Apple. They should just follow the process of Motorola and similar. Appeal and get it dropped.

[primalscream.40]

That's a lot of money. But when reality sets in. Who gonna pay?? the end user will foot the bill.

[Nickothasicko]

Love Apple Product, but 'What goes around...

[Colin9001]

400mil to them is like 400 bucks to us