by Not happy with being awarded $625m (£426m) a company called VirnetX is seeking further damages and a potential blocking of iMessage and Facetime.
The reasons are down to “irreparable harm” as a result of the tech giant’s actions all thanks to Apple infringing on a couple of patents.
The Texas-based firm is now seeking further damages and says Apple should be blocked from using its technologies to power its video and text chat apps.
Apple is contesting the case.
It wants the court to disregard the verdict because the US Patent and Trademark Office has invalidated VirnetX’s claim to the inventions – an action that is itself being challenged in a case before the Supreme Court.
Apple has argued that its customers would be harmed if it were forced to stop offering Facetime and iMessage to iPhone, iPad and Mac owners.
But VirnetX claims the step is warranted as its own secure messaging and video conferencing app – Gabriel Collaboration Suite – is suffering as a consequence.
Some parts of the media have described VirnetX as being a “patent troll”, but this term is normally reserved for firms that own inventions but never apply them to a product of their own.
The Gabriel app, however, is not well known.
“Apple is very happy to use technology owned by other parties and just wait to be sued once they have pocketed the profits,”
one of VirnetX’s UK-based shareholders – who asked not to be named – told the BBC.
Apple declined to comment.
Taking a look at the share price there might be something to this, or there might not be. Looking at the share price VirnetX Holding Corporation hit a high $40 back in July 2013 but then crashed through the floor at April 5 at $16th where shares remained on a slow slike till October 2014 to $4.09.
Even with being awarded what could be a major victory share prices went up to $7 and as of May 27th back down to $4.79. If I was a shareholder I could see why they might be upset. That being said the actual App itself is free with a $1.99 IAP. Can anyone smell the patent trolling?
Source
PR News Wire
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Who have in their exemplary cases listings, Smartflash v. Apple, Opti Inc v Apple.
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