Maxell, Apple reach settlement in legal battle over alleged patent infringement

Maxell, which makes various electronics products, and Apple have reached a settlement in a Texas court before heading to trial, reports Law360 (a subscription is required to read the entire article). 

The terms of the settlement are unknown at this time. The two companies have also called off a proceeding at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.

Last year Maxwell sued Apple. The former claimed the latter violated 10 patents, some related to walking navigation, some to unlocking one device with another, and some to cellphone technology. Alleged violating hardware products include various iPhones, iPads, and Macs, while offending software is listed as FaceTime, iTunes video, Apple Maps, and AirDrop. Maxell wants a jury trial, compensatory damages, and both preliminary and permanent injunctions.

n the lawsuit, Maxell had this to say: Since at least June 2013, Apple has been aware of Maxell’s patents and has had numerous meetings and interactions regarding its infringement of these patents. These meetings included Apple’s representatives being provided with detailed information regarding Maxell’s patents, the developed technology, and Apple’s ongoing use of this patented technology. Through this process, Apple’s representatives requested and received detailed explanations regarding Maxell’s patents and allegations. Maxell believed that the parties could reach a mutually beneficial solution and to that end considered a potential business transaction and continued to answer multiple inquiries from Apple over the course of several years, including communicating with Apple as recently as late 2018. Apple elected, however, not to enter into an agreement and did not license Maxell’s patents. Instead, Apple continued, and continues today, to make, use, sell and offer for sale Maxell’s patented technology without license.