In a conclusion to the prolonged legal battle, Apple and Broadcom have settled a billion-dollar patent dispute with the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). The case, initially filed in 2016, accused Apple and Broadcom of infringing on Wi-Fi patents related to encoding and decoding circuitry designed to enhance data transmission and performance.
In 2020, a jury found in favor of Caltech, ordering Apple to pay $838 million and Broadcom to pay $270 million. Apple appealed, leading to a federal appeals court overturning the decision, citing it as “legally unsupportable.” However, the jury’s verdict that both companies had infringed on Caltech’s patents remained intact, resulting in the scheduling of a new trial.
Although a new trial was set for June, it was indefinitely postponed. In August, both parties informed the court of a potential settlement, but the details were not disclosed. This settlement brings an end to the uncertainty surrounding the lawsuit.
Caltech has also filed similar suits against Microsoft, Dell, and HP for violating the same patents, with those cases still pending. The patents in question are integral to 802.11n and 802.11ac Wi-Fi standards, making the outcome of this dispute a significant development in the realm of intellectual property and technology litigation.
