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Man says his drawings inspired iOS devices, sues Apple for $10 billion

Another day, another lawsuit. Florida resident Thomas S. Ross has filed a lawsuit against Apple this week, claiming the company infringe upon his 1992 invention of a hand-drawn “Electronic Reading Device” (ERD), reports MacRumors.

The court filing claims the plaintiff was “first to file a device so designed and aggregated” and that the device inspired the iPod, iPhone, and iPad. He’s seeking a jury trial and is seeking restitution of $10 billion and a royalty of up to 1.5% on Apple’s worldwide sales of “infringing” devices. 

No word on why Ross waited so long to sue. After all, the iPad arrived in 2001, and the iPhone debuted in 2007. No word on why Ross waited nine years to sue. After all, the iPhone debuted in 2007. What’s more, Apple came out with the Newton — a personal digital assistant — in 1993, and was working on the project some five years before Ross produced his drawings.


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Dennis Sellers
the authorDennis Sellers
Dennis Sellers is the editor/publisher of Apple World Today. He’s been an “Apple journalist” since 1995 (starting with the first big Apple news site, MacCentral). He loves to read, run, play sports, and watch movies.