A federal jury in California ruled in favour of Canadian company WiLan in a patent infringement case against Apple.
The court awarded WiLan $145.1 million USD in damages. According to a statement from WiLan, Apple’s iPhone infringed two WiLan patents related to wireless communications technology.
However, Apple plans to appeal the ruling. The company also rejected claims of infringement in pre-trial filings.
Ottawa-based WiLan is a subsidiary of Quarterhill, a Canadian technology holding company. WiLan began as a producer of broadband wireless technologies after its founding in 1992. However, the company shifted to licensing it’s extensive patent portfolio.
This wasn’t the first lawsuit between WiLan and Apple. A separate litigation in 2013 ruled in favour of Apple. WiLan had sought $248 million in damages.
WiLan isn’t the only Canadian coming after Apple. Earlier this month a Torontonian filed a small claims lawsuit against Apple after scratching his Apple Watch. Despite Apple’s offer to waive the out-of-warranty cost to replace the unit and a later offer to refund him, the man is continuing with the suit.
Source: Global
