Apple Avoids Half-Billion Judgment on Patent Infringement... For Now

**Michael Essany** · 10-07-2010, 03:44 PM

While Apple is no stranger to patent litigation, the prospect of a looming judgment is ample enough to make even Steve Jobs get a lump in his throat. According to multiple published reports, Apple is looking at a whopping $625.5 million judgment against Mirror Worlds regarding "alleged patent infringement" related to Spotlight, Time Machine and Cover Flow.

If Apple had proven unsuccessful this week in an emergency motion to turn the legal tide, the Cupertino tech giant would have had to cough up better than one-half billion dollars to Mirror Worlds, which - according to Bloomberg - brought Apple to court two years ago but only won the case last week. To be clear, Apple may still ultimately have to pay the piper. But for now, Apple has bought itself some time.

This week, U.S. District Court Judge Leonard Davis said Apple and Mirror Worlds have "until the end of November to submit additional post-trial arguments." According to Judge Davis, "All post-verdict relief shall be sought in these motions. "The Court will not consider any additional motions or briefing after entering the final judgment."

In case you're wondering, yes, that is a huge verdict - even by modern standards. In fact, the $625.5 million award is the second-biggest jury verdict of the year, and the fourth-biggest in US history.

Of course, with $45.8 billion in cash on hand, Apple won't go broke by any stretch of the imagination, even if the penalty is eventually paid in full. But it's going to be a tough check to write, regardless. And we'll know soon enough if Steve Jobs will need a pen to write that check.

Bloomberg
ComputerWorld

**1shuttle1** · 10-07-2010, 04:13 PM

Hope Apple pays out the *****. And I love their products. Typing this on my iPad right now Just would like to see the credit go where it belongs. Half a billion is nothing to what they will make because of these applications in their software. Time machine and spotlight I use all the time. Coverflow not so much but cool all the same.

**frozenra1n** · 10-07-2010, 04:16 PM

Meh. Pocket change.

**awesomeSlayer** · 10-07-2010, 04:28 PM

More idiots, more idiots on my Ignore List of Stupidity

...

Steve Jobs would hate to write a check to a company.

**Trist06** · 10-07-2010, 04:37 PM

It's all just greed, every one is trying to piggy back on apples sucess, which is gained by greed

**Waleed786** · 10-07-2010, 04:42 PM

What was the patent for anyway?

**topless1967stang** · 10-07-2010, 04:45 PM

Well, Steve can just write that much from his personal checking account.

**Rob2G** · 10-07-2010, 05:23 PM

I wish I have a billion to avoid paying out

**unison999** · 10-07-2010, 05:58 PM

I hope this is first of many patent infringement awarded against Apple.
Hate big corporation tie up lawsuits in litigations avoiding payout, 2 years just to get court system to say Apple infringe on a patent.
Can't wait for a bunch of people who wishes everyone to leave Apple Alone...
Get ready to post Leave Brittney alone video... Any time now...

**GellBrake'rrrr** · 10-07-2010, 06:08 PM

Originally Posted by awesomeSlayer

More idiots, more idiots on my Ignore List of Stupidity

...

Steve Jobs would hate to write a check to a company.

Now THAT, was smart and funny at the same time.

**zozodouce** · 10-07-2010, 06:51 PM

will see if they pay anything,i bet steve and all the lawers that apple has are meating every day to try and find a way to get around not paying.

**RICO_** · 10-07-2010, 06:52 PM

Apple........creating innovative and revolutionary new products through engineering geniuses, state of the art technology, first class customer service, under-hyped hardware defects, excuses, and of course patent infringements!

Make them pay that cheddar!

**nautical79** · 10-07-2010, 07:32 PM

Sure apple wont go broke with that amount of money but i'll will hurt, and the ones paying are gonna be us, with no hopes off lower prices for future products.

**skj8100** · 10-07-2010, 09:52 PM

Originally Posted by Trist06

It's all just greed, every one is trying to piggy back on apples sucess, which is gained by greed

So......stupid......don't......, know......where.,....to.......begin...............
I won't even do it........

**RICO_** · 10-07-2010, 10:29 PM

Originally Posted by nautical79

Sure apple wont go broke with that amount of money but i'll will hurt, and the ones paying are gonna be us, with no hopes off lower prices for future products.

Doesn't matter. The iPhone has pretty much been the same price throughout the years independent of Apple's revenue. Because people will still buy it no matter what.

And now Apple is already beginning to lose ground in the smartphone market. Android OS phones have already outsold Apple's iOS over the past 6 months. Sooner or later Apple will have to become even more competitive and start putting more effort into quality software updates among other things.

**Cer0** · 10-07-2010, 10:32 PM

Yea but the thing with Android devices is that there are many of them and even more get released all the time. Apple has only a few devices while Android is saturating the market with mulitple hardware configs.

**Antman217** · 10-07-2010, 10:42 PM

Originally Posted by Cer0

Yea but the thing with Android devices is that there are many of them and even more get released all the time. Apple has only a few devices while Android is saturating the market with mulitple hardware configs.

also here in the us the iPhone is only available on one carrier imaging if the iPhone were available on all carriers!

**Ikemann888** · 10-07-2010, 11:17 PM

Patent lawsuit just make Lawyers get richer...

**EskimoRuler** · 10-07-2010, 11:46 PM

Greed Greed Greed

**unison999** · 10-08-2010, 04:23 PM

That's right, greed by Apple using things that is not theirs.
If only Apple pays for license to use this technology there would not be a problem.

Your favorite Apple, iPhone, iPad, iOS, Jailbreak, and Cydia site.

Thread: Apple Avoids Half-Billion Judgment on Patent Infringement... For Now

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