A federal jury in Delaware, USA, announced its ruling on Tuesday local time, stating that Apple Inc. had infringed upon patents related to wireless communication technology owned by Spanish patent holder TOT Power Control (referred to as TOT), and must compensate TOT with $110.7 million (approximately RMB 790 million) in damages. (Case number: TOT Power Control SL v. Apple Inc., U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware. Case number: 1:21-cv-01302.)

The jury agreed with TOT's argument that the wireless chips in Apple's iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch products infringed upon TOT's patent rights for technology used in 3G wireless standards.

An Apple spokesperson expressed disappointment with the ruling and plans to appeal.

TOT CEO Alvaro Lopez-Medrano said in a statement that the company was “very pleased that its core cellular network energy-saving technology has been recognized by the Delaware jury.”  

According to TOT's 2021 complaint, Spanish engineer Lopez-Medrano founded TOT to license his invented technology for managing “how to use power to address the reduction and increase in the ratio of radio signals to interference.” TOT's lawsuit claims that transceivers in Apple's mobile devices use its patented technology without permission.

Apple denied the allegations and argued that the patents are invalid. The jury found that Apple infringed on one of the two TOT patents involved in the case.