Apple is entangled in legal tussles yet again, and this time, it is for reportedly infringing a patent that is 15 years old.
According to reports, the company's iMessage services could have the dubious distinction of infringing the patent entitled "Point to point voice message processor, method and recording/playback device."
The lawsuit against Apple has been filed by Seatoun Media at a Texas Eastern District Court and alleges that the company's iMessage is infringing the latter's 2002 patent, which pertains to voice messages — more specifically their playback and recording over a designated network.
The complaint from Seatoun Media details a voice message processor, which is able to direct messages between the POS system and the user.
The patent infringement lawsuit against Apple also claims that several products from the company that deploy iMessage are defaulting on this accord.
The "non-limiting" list in the grievance comprises the iPhone 4 and later models, iPads, the iPod touch, and iMessage itself.
The complaint shares a non-limiting list of the alleged Apple products that are supposedly infringing Seatoun Media's patent. The products that are defaulting include the iPhone 4 as well as later iPhone models, all the iPads from the company — including the iPad Air, iPad Pro, and iPad mini — the iPod touch, and lastly, iMessage.
This is not the first time Apple has been caught in a patent infringement lawsuit. Earlier in December 2016, it was reported that the company was locked in a patent battle with Nokia.
It has also had its fair share of patent trolls such as the Chinese company Shenzhen Baili Marketing Services Co., which alleged that Apple had stolen the design for its iPhone 6 from the latter's 100C handset.
How Did Apple Infringe The Patent?
Seatoun Media cites the example of the iPhone 6 and shares that users are persuaded to deploy the iMessage option on their smartphone to play and record voice messages, which is done via a "communications link."
The company accuses Apple of violating its patent indirectly, as it permitted direct access of the service by users. This was done by allowing voice messages to be exchanged.
It is believed that Apple had been intimated by Seatoun Media in October 2016 about the patent infringement. The latter provided it a written notice and asserts in the lawsuit that Apple is knowingly infringing its patent.
Apple has not responded to the allegations. If found guilty, the company will not only have to shell out an undisclosed sum as damages to the aggrieved party but also the fee for the attorneys.
Photo: Rob Pongsajapan | Flickr
