Another company sues Apple over FaceTime and more
In America these days owning a patent is like holding a lottery ticket. Take Intercarrier Communications, from Texas, for example. These guys “boast” of an intellectual property portfolio consisting of one patent for something that they didn’t even invent, but ICC is taking a number of major corporations to court including Apple.
The particular patent was granted in 2006 for “an inter-carrier messaging service providing phone number only experience,” and was assigned to ICC just for the express purpose of filing a law suit against Apple and other firms, among which Broadsoft, Inerop Technologies, Iris Wireles, Mobiweb and others. The ICC claims that Apple’s FaceTime infringes on its ‘748 patent.
As one of the most valuable companies in the world, Apple is a natural target for patent trolls like ICC. Will Apple pay ICC to withdraw? Somehow, we doubt it, even if Apple has more money in the vault than Scrooge McDuck. Paying off ICC would invite every patent troll in the world to line up for a big pay day.
You can read more details on the lawsuit below.
