Shanghai Zhizhen Intelligent Network Technology continues to push its nearly decade-long patent dispute with Apple over Siri, the South China Morning Post reports. The company has asked a Shanghai court to stop the production and sale of the iPhone in the country.
In August 2020, Shanghai Zhizhen was awarded a Chinese patent for a voice assistant similar to Siri. This led the company to revive (again) its lawsuit against Apple.
If successful, the lawsuit could prevent the American tech giant from selling many of its products in its most important market outside the U.S., according to the Wall Street Journal (you’ll need a subscription to read the entire article). The Shanghai company (also known as Xiao-i) wants 10 billion yuan (approximately $1.43 billion) in damages. The company also wants Apple to cease “manufacturing, using, promising to sell, selling, and importing” all products that it says infringe on the patent.
This isn’t the first dust-up between the American and Shanghai companies. In 2012, Network Technology claimed that Siri, Apple’s voice-activated “personal assistant,” rips off their Xia i Robot voice technology. Apple won that battle.
