Apple Inc. (AAPL) Faces A New Lawsuit From VirnetX

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Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is facing a new patent infringement lawsuit from VirnetX Holding Corporation (NYSEAMEX:VHC), a company that provides Internet security.

Apple Inc. (AAPL) Faces A New Lawsuit From VirnetX

VirnetX Holding Corporation (NYSEAMEX:VHC) recently won a patent battle against Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL). A federal jury in Tyler, Texas found that Apple’s FaceTime function used in its products including the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad violated VirtnetX patents. The Cupertino based technology giant was ordered to pay $368.2 million in damages. According to reports, Virtnex was expecting $900 million payment for damages.

VirtnetX filed the new complaint in Eastern District Court of Texas, Tyler Division on November 6, 2012. The company alleged that Apple willfully violated its four patents including U.S. patent numbers 6,502,135, 7,418,504, 7,921,211, and 7,490,151. These were the same patents involved in the previous case, but the latest products of Apple were not included.

This time, VirnetX Holding Corporation (NYSEAMEX:VHC) is going after the iPhone 5, iPod Touch 5th Generation, iPad 4th Generation, iPad Mini, and the latest Macintosh computers. The company is seeking damages and injunctive relief.

In addition to the new complaint, the U.S. International Trade Commission is conducting an investigation against Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) in connection with a separate complaint by VirtneX.

VirtneX established a reputation of winning patent infringement cases against big companies. In May 2010, the company received a $ 200 million settlement from Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) for violating its virtual private network technology patents used in the Windows and Office communication server products of the software giant.

The internet security company has an ongoing case against Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO), Avaya, and Siemens Enterprise Communications GmbH.

In a previous statement, Kendall Larsen, chief executive officer of Virtnex, pointed out that its victory in the first patent infringement case against Apple established the importance of the company’s patent portfolio.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s legal counsel, Danny Williams, told the federal jury during the proceedings in the first patent case that, “Apple does not owe money to VirnetX” and added, “VirnetX is not entitled to money for things they did not invent. The VirnetX technology, if used, is a small part of very large, complex products.”

The saying, “What Comes Around Goes Around” is proven to be true within the technology industry. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has been repeatedly going after Samsung Electronics in court for patent infringement violations, even after its $1.o5 billion victory.  This time, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is experiencing the same ordeal from VirtnetX.

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