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Sonos sues Google for allegedly copying its speaker technology
Sonos may have to cozy up to partners like Amazon and Google to compete in the smart speaker world, but that doesn't mean it's happy with how it's being treated. The company has sued Google in federal court over allegations the search giant is violating five of its speaker patents, including technology that lets wireless speakers sync with each other. Google has been "blatantly and knowingly" duping tech Sonos chief Patrick Spence said in a statement, and supposedly refused to cooperate on a "mutually beneficial solution" despite years of discussions.
New York doctor sues Apple over irregular heartbeat detection
The heart monitoring technology inside the Apple Watch may be useful for scientific studies and even saving lives, but one doctor believes it's also straight-up theft. New York University cardiologist Dr. Joseph Wiesel has sued Apple over allegations the Watch violates a patented method for detecting atrial fibrillation. Wiesel claimed that he shared details of the patent with Apple in September 2017, but that the company "refused to negotiate in good faith" and left him no choice but to file a lawsuit.
TiVo announces plans to merge with entertainment tech firm Xperi
TiVo is scrapping plans to split its product and licensing divisions. Instead, it's merging with the entertainment tech firm Xperi. The new, $3 billion company will take on the Xperi name, but it will continue to sell TiVo-branded products.
Trump administration may blacklist Chinese firms that routinely copy tech
The US trade war is meant in part to punish China for allowing intellectual property theft, but the Trump administration might not be convinced it goes far enough. Washington Post sources claim that White House advisor Peter Navarro is exploring a presidential executive order that would put Chinese companies on the Commerce Department's entity list if they frequently violate American copyrights and patents. A Chinese firm that routinely copies device designs or software features could find itself blacklisted in the US even if it didn't pose a national security threat.
App maker claims 'Sign in with Apple' copies anonymous email feature
Sign in with Apple's ability to shield your real email address may sound clever, but one app developer claims it's just riffing on their technology. Blue Mail creator Blix has sued Apple for allegedly violating a 2017 patent on the "Share Email" feature in its app. The company claims that Apple's generation of a unique email address for sign-ins copies Blue Mail's ability to share a public email address for messaging while hiding your actual address.
Qualcomm won't have to offer patent licenses to rivals, for now
Qualcomm won't face the full consequences of the antitrust ruling, at least not right away. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has granted a request to temporarily halt requirements that it both grant patent licenses to rivals and stop demanding patent licenses before customers can buy chips. The stay will only last as long as Qualcomm's appeal of the antitrust case wends its way through the courts, but Qualcomm was convinced the original decision "will be overturned."
Qualcomm expects to make $4.5 billion from Apple settlement
The costs of Apple's truce with Qualcomm are now much clearer. Qualcomm now estimates that it will pull in revenue between $4.5 billion and $4.7 billion from the settlement in the third quarter of the year, including both the one-time payment from Apple as well as the elimination of obligations. It's certainly not a trivial amount, although Qualcomm made clear that this won't dramatically alter its fortunes.
Amazon tries bringing in lawyers for sellers claiming patent infringement
Amazon has been battling counterfeit products and knock-off goods for years. It's tried charging merchants large fees, creating a registry of approved vendors and launching a self-service tool for removing knockoffs. Now, according to The Information, the company is testing a program to help fight utility patent infringements. It's meant to be a cheaper, faster alternative to traditional patent lawsuits, which can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and take years to settle.
Apple and Qualcomm settle royalty lawsuits with new patent agreement
And just like that, the bitter feud between Apple and Qualcomm is already over. The two companies have settled their patent royalty dispute, ending all ongoing legal action (including with Apple's manufacturing partners). Apple has agreed to pay Qualcomm an unspecified amount, while both sides have struck a six-year patent license deal as well as a "multiyear" wireless chipset supply deal.
Toyota will share its patented hybrid vehicle tech for free
With more than 80 percent of the hybrid vehicle market, Toyota is undoubtedly a leader in hybrid technology. Rather than lock that expertise away, Toyota announced it will share nearly 24,000 patents with fellow automakers. According to the company, this is an attempt to promote electrified vehicles worldwide and combat global emissions -- a kind of rising tide lifts all boats approach.
Qualcomm, Apple split results of iPhone patent cases
A US trade judge recommended a temporary sales ban on some models of iPhone following a ruling that found Apple infringed upon Qualcomm patents. The judge's decision was not binding and will be reviewed by the International Trade Commission (ITC). The commission also announced today that it rejected a proposed import ban in a separate case between the two companies after finding that Apple did not violate a Qualcomm-held patent.
Judge limits damages Qualcomm can seek from Apple
Qualcomm has enjoyed a few successes in its legal fight against Apple, but it just faced a significant blow. A judge has granted Apple's request to limit potential damages in a Qualcomm patent lawsuit to the period after the suit was filed in 2017. The chip maker can't demand cash for years upon years of infringements if the case is successful. The judge further reduced the possible impact by determining that Apple wasn't infringing on one of the patents.
The FTC's antitrust trial against Qualcomm has begun
After two years, the FTC's antitrust lawsuit against Qualcomm has reached the courtroom in earnest. The two sides made their opening arguments in a San Jose court on January 4th as part of a 10-day, no-jury trial that could force Qualcomm to alter its wireless chipset practices and, potentially, affect the company's legal battle with Apple. The initial salvos weren't completely shocking, although Qualcomm suggested at one point that it wasn't influential enough to warrant an antitrust case.
Chinese draft law would prevent forced technology transfers
China might be prepared to further cool the US trade war. Legislators have submitted a draft law that would ban forced technology transfers, one of the objections that prompted the Trump administration to slap tariffs on China in the first place. The proposed measure instead "encourages" voluntary transfers. It would also have a "negative list" that would treat anything outside of that list as if it were a domestic investment, lifting some of the legal burden on foreign companies.
Apple and Qualcomm face off in court on April 15th
Apple and Qualcomm have refused to budge in their fight over iPhone patent royalties, so they're headed to court. A federal judge in San Diego has scheduled the companies' trial for April 15th, 2019. Qualcomm had wanted a trial in February, but the judge determined that a delay was necessary due both to the court's schedule as well as the complexity of the case. There had been rumors of a settlement, but Apple has repeatedly stressed that there are no ongoing talks and that the two sides haven't met for "months."
Judge: Qualcomm must license modem tech to rivals like Intel
Qualcomm isn't having much luck defending itself against the FTC's antitrust lawsuit. US federal Judge Lucy Koh has ruled that Qualcomm must license some of the patents in its cellular modems to rival chip manufacturers. Qualcomm and the FTC had previously asked Koh to delay the ruling for up to 30 days while the two sides negotiated a possible settlement, but the judge denied that motion.
Qualcomm says Apple owes $7 billion in device royalty payments
If Qualcomm ever prevails in its patent dispute with Apple, it could have ample compensation coming its way. The chip designer told a San Diego federal court on October 26th that Apple was allegedly $7 billion behind in device royalty payments -- no small amount when it comes to cellular chipsets. The declaration doesn't guarantee that Apple actually owes that much, but it does reveal the scale of Qualcomm's claims against its former customer.
Apple boosts in-house chip program with $600 million acquisition
Apple has signed a licensing deal with its long-time supplier Dialog and acquired assets including 300 employees, the two companies announced. Apple will pay the UK-based firm $300 million now plus another $300 million in the future for delivery of products. It also awarded Dialog a number of new contracts for power management, charging and audio subsystem chips.
AMD prevails in patent fight with Vizio over TV graphics
AMD's legal blitz against TV makers over graphics patents has claimed a major casualty. The US International Trade Commission has issued a final determination that Vizio and chip supplier Sigma Designs violated an AMD patent for a parallel pipeline graphics system. The Commission has ordered Vizio and Sigma to "cease and desist" making products that violate the patent, and has banned them from importing any existing products. Vizio is no longer allowed to bring some of its TVs into the US, then, although it's not certain just how much damage this does to the company's bottom line.
US' proposed China tariffs would target robotics and satellites
The US Trade Representative has published the list of Chinese products that would be subject to its proposed tech tariffs, and there are a few clear themes. The move would hike the costs of about 1,300 products, including industrial robots, communication satellites, spacecraft and a slew of semiconductors.The aim, as before, is to punish China for allegedly goading American companies into transferring their patents and technology to Chinese firms for the sake of claiming economic superiority.
