Apple wins long-running court battle against Optis over 4G patents in the US
Summary
Apple has been cleared of all patent infringement claims in a 2019 lawsuit by Optis Wireless after two court losses and successful appeals. However, a separate case remains pending in the UK, highlighting ongoing legal challenges for the tech giant.
Key Insights
What are standard-essential patents (SEPs) and FRAND terms?
Standard-essential patents (SEPs) are patents covering technologies that must be used to comply with industry standards like 4G/LTE, which Optis asserted against Apple's iPhones, iPads, and Watches. FRAND (fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory) terms require SEP owners to license them on fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory conditions to ensure widespread adoption of the standard.
What is the timeline of the Apple-Optis US patent case?
Optis sued Apple in 2019 over five 4G/LTE patents. A 2020 jury awarded Optis $506 million, but Apple appealed successfully due to FRAND issues, leading to a 2022 retrial with a $300 million award. The Federal Circuit vacated this in June 2025 on grounds including jury unanimity violations and patent eligibility errors. In February 2026, a third jury unanimously cleared Apple of all infringement claims.