Apple, Verizon and AT&T targeted in $7bn patent claim
Licensing company Voip-Pal (VPLM) has accused Apple, Verizon and AT&T of patent infringement and is seeking $7 billion in damages.
VPLM filed the lawsuits, one of which is against Apple and the other against Verizon and AT&T, at the US District Court for the District of Nevada on Tuesday, February 9.
The patents at the centre of both lawsuits cover methods of communicating between mobile devices.
The licensing company claimed that Apple’s iMessage service infringes the asserted patents and has also cited Apple’s Wi-Fi calling system on its iPhone devices.
According to the lawsuit, VPLM contacted Apple about a licensing agreement, but Apple declined. The licensing company has demanded $2.8 billion in damages.
In the complaint filed against Verizon and AT&T, VPLM has requested $2.3 billion and $1.8 billion respectively.
The licensing company said: “Apple employs VPLM’s innovative technology and products, features, and designs, and has widely distributed infringing products that have undermined VPLM’s marketing efforts.
“Instead of pursuing independent product development, Apple employed VPLM’s innovative caller attribute classification and routing product design in violation of VPLM’s valuable intellectual property rights,” it added.
