VirnetX v. Apple Over Because VPN Patents Invalidated
Juli Clover (2023):
Apple has been embroiled in a patent dispute with VirnetX for well over a decade, and the company today won an appeals verdict that could ultimately save it from having to pay VirnetX $502.8 million in patent infringement fees.
[…]
Apple in 2020 was ordered to pay VirnetX $503 million for infringing on VPN patents owned by VirnetX with the iPhone’s VPN on demand feature. The two patents that have been invalidated were involved in that lawsuit, and now Apple might get the entire judgment vacated.
[…]
Regardless of how this case plays out, Apple was forced to pay VirnetX $440 million for violating VirnetX’s communications security patents with the FaceTime and iMessage features.
The United States Supreme Court today said that it will not hear the VirnetX vs. Apple patent case, putting an end to a 14-year-long legal battle and ultimately saving Apple $502.8 million.
[…]
After Apple appealed the initial 2020 ruling, it was able to point to the invalidation of the patents and get the initial award vacated by the federal appeals court. VirnetX attempted to escalate the patent invalidation case to the Supreme Court, but has been denied.
Previously:
Doesn't matter; damage already done. FaceTime is now a centralised service. Maybe Apple could roll the peer-to-peer stuff back in, but I expect they'll be tempted not to as it's already working fine.