Pinn, Inc. v. Apple Inc.

  1. November 08, 2022

    Apple Settles Startup's AirPods Patent Suit On Eve Of Retrial

    With jury selection set to begin Tuesday, Apple Inc. and Pinn Inc. told a California federal judge they had settled their contentious patent fight over allegations Apple stole the startup's hands-free technology with the 2016 launch of AirPods, preempting a retrial after jury misconduct caused an August mistrial.

  2. October 25, 2022

    Judge Bans Startup's 'Props' At Apple Patent Retrial

    A California federal judge has barred a startup from showing up armed with what Apple said were "props" at a retrial in a suit accusing the tech giant's AirPods of infringing a pair of patents, saying the jury could be confused.

  3. September 28, 2022

    Startup Hits Back At Apple's 'Props' Argument In Patent Case

    A startup company that alleged Apple's AirPods infringed a pair of patents has fired back at the tech giant's attempt to stop the startup's attorneys from showing up at a retrial armed with "props," saying Apple is trying to "police" how the startup's attorneys keep documents at their table.

  4. September 16, 2022

    Apple Tells Startup's Attys To Drop The 'Props' For Retrial

    Apple's lawyers took issue with alleged tactics used in a $42 million patent trial earlier this year and have asked a California federal judge to stop attorneys for a startup from showing up at a retrial armed with "props" like "a vivid red … binder with Apple's logo and a label saying 'Apple's Admissions.'"

  5. August 12, 2022

    Apple Jury Notes Shed Light On Misconduct Ahead Of Mistrial

    Jury notes entered Thursday from the trial for Pinn Inc.'s $42 million patent infringement suit over Apple's AirPods revealed two incidents of possible jury misconduct that may explain the judge's decision to declare a mistrial, including a juror doing outside research and another mocking up a demonstrative exhibit for deliberations.

  6. August 10, 2022

    Apple AirPods IP Fight Ends In Mistrial Over Juror Misconduct

    A California federal judge declared a mistrial Wednesday due to juror misconduct shortly after deliberations began in a weeklong trial of Pinn Inc.'s $42 million patent infringement suit accusing Apple Inc. of knowingly ripping off its wireless earbud inventions when it released its AirPods in 2016.

  7. August 09, 2022

    Apple Expert Says Its Tech, Patents Made Pinn IP 'Obvious'

    A wireless technology expert testifying for Apple told a California jury Tuesday that the company's 2007 iPhone Bluetooth headset and some patents filed years ago served as a precursor to its modern-day AirPods, thus rendering "everything" in Pinn Inc.'s wireless earbud design patents "obvious."

  8. August 08, 2022

    Apple Expert Testifies Pinn Is Tone Deaf To How AirPods Work

    A wireless technology expert testifying for Apple Inc. told a California jury on Monday that the company's AirPods do not infringe Pinn Inc.'s wireless earbud design patents for a number of reasons, including that Apple's so-called charging case does not technically charge the earbuds despite its "catchy name."

  9. August 05, 2022

    Apple AirPods Infringing Pinn IP Should Cost $42M, Jury Told

    A damages expert testifying for Pinn Inc. in its suit accusing Apple Inc. of infringing its wireless earbud patents told a California federal jury Friday that a reasonable royalty rate for the technology is 60 cents per unit for 70.6 million AirPods sold, which comes to $42.3 million.

  10. August 04, 2022

    Apple AirPods Infringe Pinn IP Despite 'Slick' Extras, Jury Told

    Apple AirPods' "slick" and "neat" features do not insulate the product from having infringed Pinn Inc.'s more basic wireless earbud design patents, a retired Texas A&M electrical engineering professor told a California federal jury Thursday.