Apple latest to settle lawsuit with e-Watch over iPhone camera technology

AppleInsider said:

Apple has reached a settlement with a San Antonio, Tex.-based firm called e-Watch, which claimed that the company was violating two U.S. patents related to cellphone cameras.

A joint motion to dismiss the suit was filed in a Texas court on Friday, Law360 said. The terms of the settlement weren't immediately clear.

The two patents, 7,365,871 and 7,643,168, both cover "capturing, converting and transmitting a visual image signal via a digital transmission system."

e-Watch launched a flurry of related complaints against electronics manufacturers in 2013, some other targets being Sony, Sharp, Nokia, BlackBerry, and Kyocera. Apple is simply the latest to settle in the matter, and was accused of infringing through devices like the iPhone 4S.

The new settlement likely involves a one-time payment, since Apple is normally eager to avoid increasing royalties on its products. In fact the company is now in the middle of a lawsuit against chip supplier Qualcomm, arguing that some $1 billion in rebates were unfairly withheld because it decided to cooperate with South Korean antitrust regulators.

Qualcomm for its part has called Apple's claims "baseless," and even suggested that the iPhone maker provoked "regulatory attacks" by "misrepresenting facts and withholding information."

For what it's worth those Qualcomm rebates may have been withheld because Apple was not longer single-sourcing their iPhone modems with Qualcomm, using Intel for some number of iPhone 7 units. If the reports were accurate that was the basis for the rebates in the first place, an agreement that Qualcomm would be the sole provider. 

gatorguy said:

AppleInsider said:

Apple has reached a settlement with a San Antonio, Tex.-based firm called e-Watch, which claimed that the company was violating two U.S. patents related to cellphone cameras.

A joint motion to dismiss the suit was filed in a Texas court on Friday, Law360 said. The terms of the settlement weren't immediately clear.

The two patents, 7,365,871 and 7,643,168, both cover "capturing, converting and transmitting a visual image signal via a digital transmission system."

e-Watch launched a flurry of related complaints against electronics manufacturers in 2013, some other targets being Sony, Sharp, Nokia, BlackBerry, and Kyocera. Apple is simply the latest to settle in the matter, and was accused of infringing through devices like the iPhone 4S.

The new settlement likely involves a one-time payment, since Apple is normally eager to avoid increasing royalties on its products. In fact the company is now in the middle of a lawsuit against chip supplier Qualcomm, arguing that some $1 billion in rebates were unfairly withheld because it decided to cooperate with South Korean antitrust regulators.

Qualcomm for its part has called Apple's claims "baseless," and even suggested that the iPhone maker provoked "regulatory attacks" by "misrepresenting facts and withholding information."

For what it's worth those Qualcomm rebates may have been withheld because Apple was not longer single-sourcing their iPhone modems with Qualcomm, using Intel for some number of iPhone 7 units. If the reports were accurate that was the basis for the rebates in the first place, an agreement that Qualcomm would be the sole provider. 

We can always count on Gatorguy to explain to us why everything is always Apple’s fault and the companies it does business with it’s innocent victims.

lkrupp said:

gatorguy said:

AppleInsider said:

Apple has reached a settlement with a San Antonio, Tex.-based firm called e-Watch, which claimed that the company was violating two U.S. patents related to cellphone cameras.

A joint motion to dismiss the suit was filed in a Texas court on Friday, Law360 said. The terms of the settlement weren't immediately clear.

The two patents, 7,365,871 and 7,643,168, both cover "capturing, converting and transmitting a visual image signal via a digital transmission system."

e-Watch launched a flurry of related complaints against electronics manufacturers in 2013, some other targets being Sony, Sharp, Nokia, BlackBerry, and Kyocera. Apple is simply the latest to settle in the matter, and was accused of infringing through devices like the iPhone 4S.

The new settlement likely involves a one-time payment, since Apple is normally eager to avoid increasing royalties on its products. In fact the company is now in the middle of a lawsuit against chip supplier Qualcomm, arguing that some $1 billion in rebates were unfairly withheld because it decided to cooperate with South Korean antitrust regulators.

Qualcomm for its part has called Apple's claims "baseless," and even suggested that the iPhone maker provoked "regulatory attacks" by "misrepresenting facts and withholding information."

For what it's worth those Qualcomm rebates may have been withheld because Apple was not longer single-sourcing their iPhone modems with Qualcomm, using Intel for some number of iPhone 7 units. If the reports were accurate that was the basis for the rebates in the first place, an agreement that Qualcomm would be the sole provider. 

We can always count on Gatorguy to explain to us why everything is always Apple’s fault and the companies it does business with it’s innocent victims.

The comment I made came directly from Apple's legal filing. 
"It was only with the iPhone 7, released in September, that Apple was able to use a competitor's chipsets (Intel's) as well as Qualcomm chipsets," write Apple lawyers. That choice cost Apple, which didn't get its usual exclusivity "rebate" from Qualcomm." The amount was redacted. 

So if facts don't suit you make anything up you wish, as long as it makes you happier.

gatorguy said:

AppleInsider said:

Apple has reached a settlement with a San Antonio, Tex.-based firm called e-Watch, which claimed that the company was violating two U.S. patents related to cellphone cameras.

A joint motion to dismiss the suit was filed in a Texas court on Friday, Law360 said. The terms of the settlement weren't immediately clear.

The two patents, 7,365,871 and 7,643,168, both cover "capturing, converting and transmitting a visual image signal via a digital transmission system."

e-Watch launched a flurry of related complaints against electronics manufacturers in 2013, some other targets being Sony, Sharp, Nokia, BlackBerry, and Kyocera. Apple is simply the latest to settle in the matter, and was accused of infringing through devices like the iPhone 4S.

The new settlement likely involves a one-time payment, since Apple is normally eager to avoid increasing royalties on its products. In fact the company is now in the middle of a lawsuit against chip supplier Qualcomm, arguing that some $1 billion in rebates were unfairly withheld because it decided to cooperate with South Korean antitrust regulators.

Qualcomm for its part has called Apple's claims "baseless," and even suggested that the iPhone maker provoked "regulatory attacks" by "misrepresenting facts and withholding information."

For what it's worth those Qualcomm rebates may have been withheld because Apple was not longer single-sourcing their iPhone modems with Qualcomm, using Intel for some number of iPhone 7 units. If the reports were accurate that was the basis for the rebates in the first place, an agreement that Qualcomm would be the sole provider. 

Please provide a link to the Apple legal filing.

From what I have gathered from this dispute is Apple was legally bound to source exclusively from Qualcomm from some time in 2011 until some time in 2016.

Since it appears Apple honored that exclusivity, Qualcomm appears to be in the wrong by withholding accrued rebates from January until the day the iPhone 7 units shipped to customers.

According to supposed quotes by Apple, Qualcomm chose to hold rebates due to Apple responding truthfully to the South Korean government's questions about Qualcomm's business practices. Qualcomm was charged $800+ million for its business practices in South Korea.

Keep in mind I wrote appears if you choose to respond.

San Antonio must be a hotbed of tech innovation. Oh wait, it's not. Nothing but P.O. Box addresses for leeches living off the blood of said innovation elsewhere. Thanks again, Texas.