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Apple won't have to pay $533 million to an iTunes patent troll
It's taken two years, but Apple has finally reversed a patent ruling that required it to pay $533 million in damages to a little-known technology developer. On Wednesday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit threw out a jury verdict that had judged Apple to have violated intellectual property owned by Smartflash -- specifically its copy protection, payment systems and storage patents -- with its iTunes software.
Samsung could help Apple avoid large patent payout
A review board at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has invalidated a claim against Apple with help from rival Samsung. The two firms are normally on opposite ends of the rope when it comes to a tug of war over patents. The story began about a year ago, when a Texas court ordered Apple to pay $533 million to holding firm SmartFlash, after it argued Apple's iTunes infringes three of its patents. SmartFlash's claims related to technologies for payments, storage and copy protection. It's the payment patent that the review board has dismissed, stating that it covers a "fundamental economic practice long in existence in commerce."
Apple ordered to pay $532.9 million to an iTunes patent troll (update)
Despite attempts to curb patent trolls, at least some of them are getting lucky -- and this week, one got very lucky. A Texas court has ordered Apple to pay a whopping $532.9 million to Smartflash, a holding company which sued over claims that iTunes (specifically its copy protection, payment systems and storage) violates its patents. The Cupertino crew allegedly abused the inventions on purpose, in part because one of its execs was briefed on them over a decade ago.
