The Court of Appeal in London has ruled that Apple violated two telecommunications patents utilized in its products, including iPhones and iPads. This decision comes as the court dismissed Apple’s appeal in an ongoing dispute with Optis Cellular Technology, a U.S.-based patent holder.
The legal battle began in 2019 when Optis Cellular Technology sued Apple, alleging that the company infringed on patents crucial to specific technological standards, such as 4G. Last year, London’s High Court determined that two of Optis’ 4G patents were classified as standard essential patents, and Apple was found to have infringed upon them.
In May, Apple appealed against the ruling, asserting that the two patents in question were not essential to 4G standards and that it had not violated any patents. However, the Court of Appeal rejected Apple’s challenge. Judge Colin Birss, in a written ruling, affirmed the High Court’s decision, stating that it was “right to reject (Apple’s) argument for non-infringement” and addressing the issue of the patents’ essentiality.
This latest ruling marks another development in the ongoing legal battle between Apple and Optis, which commenced in 2019 and has seen multiple trials and appellate hearings in the UK alone.
Last month, the Court of Appeal upheld an appeal by Optis regarding the revocation of two other 4G-related patents. This decision followed an October ruling that granted Optis the right to seek an injunction to prevent Apple from infringing on its patents until the court determines the fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory terms of use.
Earlier this year, Apple was granted permission to appeal against the October ruling, indicating that the legal dispute is far from concluded, Reuters news report said.
