Apple hit with $2.8 billion patent lawsuit over iMessage and FaceTime

By Joseph Keller
published

iMessages on iPhone
iMessages on iPhone (Image credit: iMore)

Apple is being sued for $2.8 billion by VoIP-Pal, a company that holds patents on a number of VoIP and related technologies. VoIP-Pal claims that Apple's iMessage and FaceTime services infringes on a few of its patents.

From the complaint:

Apple employs VPLM's innovative technology and products, features, and designs, and has widely distributed infringing products that have undermined VPLM's marketing efforts. Instead of pursuing independent product development, Apple employed VPLM's innovative caller attribute classification and routing product design, in violation of VPLM's valuable intellectual property rights.

VoIP-Pal says that it is trying to negotiate with Apple in order to find an amicable resolution, with discussions currently ongoing. The company is also suing Verizon and AT&T, seeking a total of $7 billion.

Joseph Keller
Joseph Keller

Joseph Keller is the former Editor in Chief of iMore. An Apple user for almost 20 years, he spends his time learning the ins and outs of iOS and macOS, always finding ways of getting the most out of his iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac.

5 Comments
  • "Method for performing actions, functions, and such relating to items, objects, and similar with a computer, telephone handset, or the like." AKA, someone has a questionable patent on an obvious thing "with a computer." Tell me again why this patent troll malarkey doesn't get the perpetrators thrown in prison? It's only not fraud on technicality unfortunately. P.S. C.rap is censored? Seriously? What a load of crap. ;)
  • I think this is a company whose shares are worth $0.10 and I can't seem to find it market cap. I have a strange feeling it's less than 10% than what it wants from Apple...
  • https://www.google.com/finance?q=OTCMKTS%3AVPLM&ei=_00yV8nqKJOxea7dl7AB
  • Is this just another patent troll? Apple, Samsung, Google and Microsoft and many others need to stop being sued by patent trolls. It's bullcrap what these trolls can sue for. Congress needs to write legislation that will only allow TRUE patent infringement to be brought to the courts. Otherwise, these patent trolls are just causing more cases and time on an already overly taxed court system. Sent from the iMore App
  • Travis, Add to that these same trolls are disrupting innovation. If I remember Steve Jobs had said that iMessage would be available for other platforms other than iOS and OS/X. It would be great if iPhone users with Windows PC's could send iMessages from their Windows PC. I think it would usher in a whole new era of IM and communications.