Patent troll VirnetX demands $532 million from Apple

Apple needs to pay to the VirnetX holding company amount of $532 million for the use of its patented technology of secure communications – stated by the laywer of VirnetX in Texas court on Monday, January 25.

“Apple hasn’t played fair. They have taken Virnetx’s intellectual property without permission” – VirnetX lawyer Brad Caldwell of Caldwell Cassady told the jury in Tyler, Texas.

Recalling that earlier VirnetX has sued Apple for $368.2 million, but the appeals court rejected a previous ruling on the payment of compensation and ordered a new trial. The new case involves the reconsideration of the same dispute, but even in relation to other Apple’s products.

“Apple believes in fairness and protecting intellectual property,” said Apple’s lawyer, Greg Arovas of Kirkland & Ellis. “VirnetX keeps moving the boundary, asking for more and more and more.”– said Greg Arovas from the law office Kirkland & Ellis, representing the interests of Cupertino.

This time, a subject of dispute is a technology known as Virtual Private Network (VPN), which allows website owners to interact with customers, and employees of companies – remotely access corporate files and work from home. Apple is also accused of unlawful use of patented technology by VirnetX in FaceTime application.

The use of VPN technology in Apple services has previously been recognized violating the rights of VirnetX. During the trial, which will last the whole next week, we will find out whether this technology is implemented in FaceTime, iMessage and new operating systems. Also, the amount of compensation will be determined on the basis of the contribution to the development of VirnetX technology.

VirnetX experiencing difficulties with the commercialization of its own products and “earns” only due to patents. In December 2014 Microsoft has paid $23 million to VirnetX for the illegal use of technology in Skype service.