Federal jury orders Apple to pay $532.9M in patent dispute

Apple has been ordered to pay nearly $533 million by a federal jury that found Apple's iTunes music store uses software that infringes on patents held by a Texas company.

An attorney for plaintiff Smartflash LLC praised the verdict. Apple immediately announced plans to appeal and said the case shows the need for Congress to reform the U.S. patent system.

The case involves three patents that Smartflash holds for software used in storing data files and managing access through an online payment system. The outcome will likely add fuel to a broader debate over the federal patent system and complaints that it's easily abused by companies that make most of their revenue through patent lawsuits.

"Smartflash makes no products, has no employees, creates no jobs, has no US presence and is exploiting our patent system to seek royalties for technology Apple invented," Apple said in a printed statement. The statement added: "We rely on the patent system to protect real innovation and this case is one more example of why we feel so strongly Congress should enact meaningful patent reform."

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(http://news.yahoo.com/federal-jury-orders-apple-pay-532-9m-patent-153848404.html;_ylt=AwrSyCM8yAdVsGkADSbQtDMD)

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