Apple has reached a new licensing arrangement with patents licensing provider WiLAN, ending a long-running dispute with the company.
Since the sale of the first iPhone, WiLAN, a company that buys patents in mobile communications and other areas of technology in order to commercialize them through licensing agreements, has been embroiled in multiple legal battles with Apple.
In this case, WiLAN claimed that the iPhone 5 and iPhone 6 infringed on its 4G standard intellectual property; the iPhone 5 was the first Apple smartphone to support LTE.
Retrial of the iPhone by Broadcom
In 2018, WiLAN won a court judgment ordering Apple to pay a $145 million settlement. The case went on to a retrial, with Apple being forced to pay $85 million in damages.
A new trial will be held to resolve the disagreement, and Linn has also requested a trial to establish if a third patent was violated.
Apple is one of Broadcom’s largest clients, and the company specializes in wireless communication semiconductors for iPhones and other gadgets.
With the judgment likely to be appealed and the process expected to drag on for some time, the two companies have not reached an agreement that would put a stop to their legal struggle for the time being.
According to WiLAN’s parent company Quarterhill, “the Agreement also includes the settlement and dismissal of any outstanding lawsuits between WiLAN and Polaris and Apple in the United States, Canada, and Germany.”
In the mobile business, such disputes between vendors and patent holders are prevalent, with reasons ranging from infringement to erroneous royalty calculation.
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