Apple Temporarily Escapes Paying Patent Troll $533 Million / €482 Million

[Karamjit]

Judge admits he misled jury, orders a retrial

US District Judge Rodney Gilstrap has overturned his jury's decision and has got Apple off the hook from paying $533 million / €482 million to Smartflash LLC.

The lawsuit in cause was filed in 2013, Smartflash suing Apple for three infringements of its patents, in Tyler, Texas, a state very friendly to smaller companies on patent-related issues.

These patents detail techniques for storing, accessing, downloading, and paying for multimedia data, and according to Smartflash, they were used by Apple in its iTunes software.

The patents, in this case, are US7,334,720; US8,118,221; and US8,336,772.

After two years of litigation, the jury sided with Smartflash and ruled the company should receive $533 million / €482 million from its initial sought-after damages of $852 million / €770 million.

In a turn of events, the case's judge has overturned the jury's ruling by issuing a decision in which he orders a re-trial, admitting that he confused the jury with his instructions on how to calculate the royalties and the subsequent damages.

Smartflash has a history of suing big tech companies

None of the companies involved has wished to issue any statements, but Apple previously stated back in February, when the initial ruling was issued, "We refused to pay off this company for the ideas our employees spent years innovating."

Apple, along with Google and Microsoft, is currently lobbying US officials to reform the patent litigation system, having been many times in the past harassed by smaller companies that buy and then exploit smaller, more generic US or international patents.

Many industry experts are giving Smartflash as the embodiment of patent trolls, the company having similar lawsuits for other patents against companies like Amazon, Google, and Samsung, all in the same town of Tyler, Texas.

According to Reuters, the new trial will start September 14, in the same town of Tyler, Texas

From

[GRiM]

Apple are the biggest patent/IP trolls going!

[212eta]

Apple are the biggest patent/IP trolls going!

Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Samsung... :hypocrite:

[GRiM]

Apple are the biggest patent/IP trolls going!

Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Samsung... :hypocrite:

I didn't say the only. I said the "biggest".

[212eta]

Apple are the biggest patent/IP trolls going!

Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Samsung... :hypocrite:

I didn't say the only. I said the "biggest".

If you say so... :clap:

[GRiM]

Apple are the biggest patent/IP trolls going!

Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Samsung... :hypocrite:

I didn't say the only. I said the "biggest".

If you say so... :clap:

Yes I do.

[212eta]

Apple are the biggest patent/IP trolls going!

Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Samsung... :hypocrite:

I didn't say the only. I said the "biggest".

If you say so... :clap:

Yes I do.

This is how Apple responds to ‘patent troll’ who cost them $500 million

Apple: We’re the patent trolls’ top target, facing 92 lawsuits in 3 years

[GRiM]

Apple are the biggest patent/IP trolls going!

Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Samsung... :hypocrite:

I didn't say the only. I said the "biggest".

If you say so... :clap:

Yes I do.

This is how Apple responds to ‘patent troll’ who cost them $500 million

Apple: We’re the patent trolls’ top target, facing 92 lawsuits in 3 years

That doesn't contradict anything I have said.

[212eta]

Being a patent troll is one thing

and

being the patent trolls' top target is another thing;

a very different one...

[GRiM]

Being a patent troll is one thing

and

being the patent trolls' top target is another thing;

a very different one...

I have absolutely zero sympathy.

[212eta]

I have absolutely zero sympathy.

It is about Facts; not personal Feelings...

[GRiM]

I have absolutely zero sympathy.

It is about Facts; not personal Feelings...

Yes and my feelings are not disputing any facts.

It's a fact Apple is the biggest patent troll going. Simple. The fact that I have no sympathy for them when tables are turned is besides that point.

[212eta]

It's a fact Apple is the biggest patent troll going.

Apple sees itself as the greatest target of patent trolls

Every coin has two sides...

[GRiM]

It's a fact Apple is the biggest patent troll going.

Apple sees itself as the greatest target of patent trolls

Every coin has two sides...

Bullshit. They're now simply getting a taste of their own medicine and do not like it which leads me right back to what I said earlier....

I have absolutely zero sympathy!!!

They can't go around suing everybody for bullshit claims that Yanks are dumb enough to grant them and then try and cry foul when somebody has a claim against them!

[212eta]

Do you align yourself with Smartflash LLC

which has no workers, makes nothing and sells nothing;

yet is making millions out of Apple?

-Smartflash LLC is nothing a bunch of CROOKS!

-When it comes to legal procedures,

Smartflash LLC is just a SCUMBAG who uses loopholes!

-As far as real BULL :shit: is concerned,

Smartflash LLC leads the way!