Apple was ordered to pay VirnetX Holding Corp $302 million in damages for violating the company’s patented technology.
This case has been bouncing around the court system since 2010 when VirnetX accused Apple’s FaceTime app of using its intellectual property concerning VPNs without permission. This week’s decision in Texas was the result of a new trial after VirnetX’s original $625.6 million win was tossed in August.
The Texas jury determined the $302 million in damages based on two VirnetX patents that Apple was previously found to be violating. The bad news for Apple is that it still faces a second trial over newer VirnetX patents the company claims are being violated in Apple’s iMessage app.
Moreover, the court still needs to assess whether or not Apple violated VirnetX’s patents willfully, which could impact the amount of damages awarded to VirnetX. Apple didn’t immediately comment on the court’s latest decision.
