Apple Owes $110 Mln in Wireless Tech Patent Case

A US federal court in Delaware has ruled that tech giant Apple must pay $110 million in damages to Spanish technology firm TOT for infringing on a patented wireless communication technology.

The ruling, reported by Reuters, follows a legal battle initiated by TOT in 2021. The court found that Apple had unlawfully used TOT’s proprietary technology in developing wireless receiver components used in iPhones, violating one of the company’s patents.

TOT’s founder, Álvaro López-Medrano, claimed to be the original inventor of a power-saving technology for mobile communications.

He discovered Apple’s unlicensed use of the innovation in the hardware of its iPhones and filed the lawsuit in response. He also revealed that similar patent lawsuits have been filed against LG and Samsung, which are still under judicial review.

The US Attorney’s office charged Apple with infringing two TOT patents, but the jury concluded that the infringement applied to one patent.

Despite the court's ruling, Apple denies any wrongdoing, stating that its devices do not use any protected technology from TOT. The company, led by CEO Tim Cook, has announced plans to appeal the decision.