Apple Faces $625 million in Fines Over Patents

Oct. 5, 2010
Technology firm will challenge legal decision.

Apple has decided to challenge a legal decision that could see it pay up to $625.5 million in fines for infringing several patents, the New York Times reported Tuesday.

The firm's decision came after a federal jury in Tyler, Texas, found Apple had infringed on three patents belonging to a company called Mirror Worlds in products including its iPod, iPhone and Macintosh computers.

The jury awarded Mirror Worlds $208.5 million in damages for each patent infringement, but the verdict has not been formally entered by the judge overseeing the case.

Apple filed an emergency motion on Sunday seeking to stall the process, the Times reported.

Apple is arguing that it would be wrong for the jury to force it to pay three separate fines for the infringements, which are related in part to the way files are displayed on the company's popular tech devices.

If the fines stand, Apple faces a payment that would be one of the largest patent awards in U.S. history, the newspaper said. Apple declined to comment.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2010

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