What you should know
– The long legal battle between Apple, Broadcom, and Caltech is coming to a close
– The lawsuit started in 2016 and involved patent infringement related to Wi-Fi technology
– Apple and Broadcom were ruled to have infringed on Caltech’s patents and were ordered to pay $1.1 billion
– Apple and Broadcom have reached an agreement to settle the lawsuit, but the details of the settlement are unknown
Full Story
The longstanding legal battle between Apple and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) is finally drawing to a close. Apple and Broadcom, the company that supplied Wi-Fi chips to Apple, have reached an agreement with Caltech regarding the patent infringement lawsuit that originated in 2016. The lawsuit was initiated by Caltech, which accused Apple of using Broadcom’s Wi-Fi chips that infringed on its patented technology. According to the lawsuit, all Apple products, including iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple Watches, and even discontinued AirPort routers, were found to be infringing on Caltech’s Wi-Fi patents. These patents focused on improving Wi-Fi performance by balancing speed, heat, power, and chip size.
In 2020, a jury ruled that both Apple and Broadcom had indeed infringed on Caltech’s patents. The companies were ordered to pay a combined sum of $1.1 billion to the university, with Apple being responsible for $837.8 million and Broadcom for $270.2 million. However, as expected, Apple appealed the ruling, arguing that the damages were excessive. A new trial was scheduled for June 2023 to reassess the amount of damages. Unfortunately, this trial was indefinitely postponed just before it was set to commence.
Fast forward to the present, and Apple and Broadcom have now reached a settlement to resolve the patent lawsuits with Caltech. The specific details of the settlement have not been disclosed by either party. However, Caltech has agreed to dismiss the case “with prejudice,” which means that the lawsuit cannot be reopened or pursued in the future. As of now, it remains unknown what the terms of the settlement are, and it is uncertain whether this information will ever be made public.
In conclusion, the legal dispute between Apple, Broadcom, and the California Institute of Technology over patent infringement claims related to Wi-Fi technology is finally reaching its conclusion. Despite the lack of information regarding the settlement, it is clear that both Apple and Broadcom have taken steps to resolve the matter with Caltech, thereby putting an end to a legal battle that has spanned several years.
