Apple has been ordered to pay US $532.9m after a US federal jury ruled yesterday that its iTunes software had infringed on three patents owned by Smartflash LLC.
The patents refer to digital payment systems as well as the access and storage of downloaded songs, videos and games.
The lawsuit was filed by Texas technology company Smartfish last May.
Apple tried to have the case thrown out but earlier this month US district judge Rodney Gilstrap ruled that Smartflash’s technology was worthy of the patents.
Smartflash sought $852m in damages, while Apple said the patents were worth no more than $4.5m.
Smartflash argued that Apple used its technology in iTunes applications including Game Circus LLC’s Coin Dozer and 4 Pics 1 Movie.
Apple has now pledged to appeal.
“Smartflash makes no products, has no employees, creates no jobs, has no U.S. presence, and is exploiting our patent system to seek royalties for technology Apple invented,” an Apple spokesperson told Bloomberg.
“We refused to pay off this company for the ideas our employees spent years innovating and unfortunately we have been left with no choice but to take this fight up through the court system.”
Smartflash argued that is deserved a percentage of sales of all Apple’s devices used to access iTunes.
Apple turns over around $25bn every month according to its latest set of financial results.
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