Apple Ordered To Pay $110.7 Million For Violating Spanish Firm’s Wireless Technology Patent: Report

Apple Inc. (AAPL) has reportedly been ordered to pay over $110.7 million after a Delaware federal jury determined that its wireless chips, used in iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches, violated a patent owned by Spain-based TOT Power Control.

Despite the news, Apple stock traded 1.5% higher in afternoon trading on Tuesday.

According to a Reuters report, the disputed patent covers technology used in 3G networks designed to manage power consumption by adjusting to changes in signal strength relative to interference. 

The jury found that Apple’s transceivers in mobile devices violated one of TOT’s core patents.

Apple shared its dissatisfaction with the ruling and said it would appeal the decision.

In contrast, Alvaro Lopez‑Medrano, the Spanish engineer behind TOT and its founder, celebrated the verdict, stating he was “thrilled that its fundamental cellular power saving technology has been validated by a jury in Delaware.”

TOT brought its lawsuit in 2021, accusing Apple of using its patented technology without permission. Although the jury upheld one of the two patents in question, Apple continues to dispute the claim’s legitimacy. 

At the same time, TOT has also initiated similar legal actions against LG and Samsung in Delaware.

According to consulting firm GreyB’s report, from 2019 to 2024, Apple has been entangled in over 180 patent infringement lawsuits, with cases accelerating in 2021. 

Major disputes have involved companies like Qualcomm, AliveCor, Masimo, and ImmerVision, targeting technologies ranging from wireless communications and health tracking to wide-angle lenses and voice assistants.

A 2019 Qualcomm dispute nearly halted iPhone sales until Apple agreed to royalty payments. In 2023, Apple was forced to disable blood-oxygen monitoring on U.S. Apple Watches after losing cases brought by Masimo and AliveCor. 

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment toward Apple improved to ‘extremely bullish’ from ‘bearish’ territory the previous day. The message volume jumped to ‘high’ from ‘normal’ levels in the last 24 hours. 

Apple stock has lost over 16% year-to-date and 4% in the last 12 months.

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