Apple Ordered to Pay $110M for 3G Patent Infringement

A federal jury in Delaware found that Apple infringed on a 3G wireless patent owned by Spanish company TOT Power Control, ordering Apple to pay $110.7 million in damages through a running royalty of 25 cents per infringing device. The patent covers technology managing power consumption by adjusting to signal strength relative to interference, used in iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches. Apple disputed the patent's validity but failed to convince the jury, which rejected Apple's motion to invalidate the patent. Apple has expressed disappointment with the verdict and plans to appeal, while TOT's founder, Alvaro Lopez-Medrano, hailed the decision as a validation of its fundamental cellular power-saving technology. TOT Power Control, which licenses its own developed patents rather than acquiring them, has also pursued similar litigation against other major tech firms like LG and Samsung. This case is part of a broader pattern of patent litigation involving Apple, with over 180 related lawsuits from 2019 to 2024 targeting various technologies including wireless communications and health tracking.