Apple’s copyright protection technology is going to cost the company dearly. Bloomberg says a court in Marshall, Texas, has ordered Apple to pay $ 308.5 million to Personalized Media Communications for violating a digital rights management (DRM) patent. PMC claims in 2015 that the FairPlay technology used in the App Store, Apple Music and iTunes infringes seven patents. Apple initially annulled claims at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, but PMC succeeded in overturning some of the decisions on appeal.
Google has thwarted a similar PMC case, though Netflix is facing a looming battle over a lawsuit filed in 2019. PMC is a non-practicing entity that relies primarily on litigation for its business – commonly known as a patent roll. Businesses like this ‘stifle innovation’ and hurt everyday customers, Apple said in a statement.
The tech giant said he was unhappy with the outcome and planned to appeal.
The decision is unlikely to affect Apple’s use of DRM. However, PMC may use this case to target other copy protection systems. While this may represent the end of one battle, you can see numerous sequels in the coming years.