Apple Loses FaceTime Lawsuit, Ordered To Pay $302.4 Million In Damages

Apple has been fighting a patent infringement lawsuit with VirnetX Holding Corp. which claims that the company’s FaceTime feature infringes on its patents related to secure communications. A jury has found Apple guilty of infringing on VirnetX’s patents and has ordered it to pay the company $302.4 million in damages. This case is now going to go to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington DC.

This isn’t the first time that VirnetX and Apple have been involved in a patent battle. It sued Apple back in 2010 claiming infringement on four of its patents. It was awarded $368.2 million in damages but the case was dismissed by the U.S. Court of Appeals.

A second trial took place earlier this year in which VirnetX was awarded $625.5 million but a trial judge overturned the verdict and ruled in Apple’s favor. VirnetX has now been awarded $302.4 million but it’s not like it’s going to get this amount right away.

This case is headed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington DC which has a long history of ruling on patent disputes. It’s going to examine whether or not Apple really did infringe on the patents with FaceTime and if it becomes convinced of that only then will VirnetX be able to get the money.

Adnan Farooqui
Categories: Apple
Tags: facetime, patents