Apple Reportedly Settles Multi-Touch Patent Lawsuit from Elan for $5 Million

elan logo smallReuters reports that Taiwanese company Elan Microelectronics has issued a statement announcing the settlement of a patent infringement dispute with Apple regarding multi-touch technology. According to Elan, Apple has agreed to pay $5 million and the two companies will cross-license certain patents to avoid future issues related to the intellectual property in question.

Elan Microelectronics Corp, a Taiwanese touch design company, said on Thursday that Apple Inc will pay $5 million as part of a settlement in a patent infringement case.

The statement said the two companies would also exchange authorizations to use each other's patents.

The patent dispute between the two companies dates back to 2009, when Elan sued Apple over alleged infringement of a patent related to the detection of multiple-finger input as on the company's iOS devices, notebooks, and several accessories. Apple had also counter-sued Elan in 2009 in an attempt to gain leverage in the dispute.

Elan turned to the U.S. International Trade Commission in 2010, seeking a ban on imports of Apple's products, but the ITC ruled in Apple's favor last year.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Dual Tone Horizontal 1

iPhone 17 Pro Launching This Year With These 8 New Features

Tuesday January 28, 2025 11:48 am PST by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. iPhone 17 Pro concept based on rumors Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of January 2025: More aluminum: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models ...
airpods 4 blue

Apple Finally Explains How to Install New Firmware on Your AirPods

Monday January 27, 2025 11:17 am PST by
Apple regularly releases new firmware for the AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max, but the company has historically provided limited information on how to initiate an update. That changed today, and Apple updated its AirPods firmware support page with more specific instructions. Prior to today, here's what Apple said on the subject: Firmware updates are delivered automatically while your...
tvOS 18 Thumb 3

Apple Releases tvOS 18.3

Monday January 27, 2025 10:00 am PST by
Apple today released tvOS 18.3, the newest version of the tvOS 18 operating system that came out in September. tvOS 18.3 comes more than a month after Apple released tvOS 18.2, and it is available for the Apple TV 4K and the Apple TV HD models. tvOS 18.3 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the ‌Apple TV‌. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the new software....
M6 MacBook Pro Feature 1

5 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's MacBook Pro

Monday January 27, 2025 4:25 am PST by
Apple in October 2024 overhauled its 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, adding M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips, Thunderbolt 5 ports on higher-end models, display changes, and more. That's quite a lot of updates in one go, but if you think this means a further major refresh for the MacBook Pro is now several years away, think again. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said he expects only a small...
ipad january sale

Amazon's New iPad Sale Has Up to $300 Off M4 iPad Pro, M2 iPad Air, and iPad Mini 7

Tuesday January 28, 2025 7:32 am PST by
Today we're tracking a few iPad discounts on Amazon, including the new iPad mini 7, M2 iPad Air, and M4 iPad Pro. These deals include multiple all-time low prices on Apple's tablets, matching the prices we tracked over the holiday season in many cases. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us...
iPhone 17 Air Size Feature

iPhone 17 Air Design, Specs, and More: All the Rumors So Far

Wednesday January 29, 2025 4:00 am PST by
This year, Apple is expected to discontinue the iPhone "Plus" device in its iPhone 17 lineup to make way for an iPhone "Air," so-called because of its thin profile. Below is a compilation of every rumor and leak we have registered from reputable sources thus far about Apple's new entry in its flagship smartphone lineup. iPhone 17 "Air"? About the Name There has been some uncertainty...
iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

iPhone SE 4 to Have Notch Instead of Dynamic Island

Tuesday January 28, 2025 1:49 pm PST by
The upcoming iPhone SE 4 will feature a notch instead of the Dynamic Island, respected display analyst Ross Young said today. The device will have a "notch like the iPhone 14," according to Young, which contradicts a recent leak that depicted a Dynamic Island. Earlier this month, leaker Evan Blass shared images said to feature the iPhone SE 4's design, but those images featured an iPhone...

Top Rated Comments

TWSS37 Avatar
171 months ago
When will Google settle copying iOS?

I wish Apple sue the hell out of Google, they stole a whole operating system.

This is what makes all these small lawsuits a joke, Apple have had their iOS inside developers taken by Google in 2006 and all of a sudden, Android looked like iOS copy rather than Blackberry copy.

GO AFTER THE THIEVES APPLE - GOOGLE

Android before poaching Apple iOS employees 2006/early 2007:

Image (http://cdn2.mixrmedia.com/wp-uploads/ziggytek/blog/2010/07/android-prototype.jpg)

Android post poaching iOS employees:

Image (http://cdn2.mixrmedia.com/wp-uploads/ziggytek/blog/2010/07/android-iphone.jpg)

Please stop posting this over and over again. Just link to where you've made this point before.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
basesloaded190 Avatar
171 months ago
How much would it cost for Google to settle with Apple for the theft of a rather **** copy of iOS?

You really have an axe to grind here. How does this affect you in any conceivable way?

Anyways, this is pocket change for Apple and glad they got things sorted out.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
*LTD* Avatar
171 months ago
Tim Cook: Hey Scott, we're settling with Elan. It's for 5 million. Have you got any change on you?

Scott Forstall: Uh yeah, just hang on a sec. I think I had a few mil on me when I went to get coffee this morning. *fishes around in his pocket* Ok, here's around 4. Bum the rest off Jony.

Tim Cook: k.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gnasher729 Avatar
171 months ago
When will Google settle copying iOS?

I wish Apple sue the hell out of Google, they stole a whole operating system.
The pictures that you posted don't show any similarity in the design at all. I think you are confused because Apple is suing _one_ manufacturer for _one_ tablet design that is too close to the iPad and conclude wrongly that _every_ Android device must be the copy of an Apple product. That is not the case.

What ever happened to "boy, have we patented it"?
Just because you have patents, even lots of patents, doesn't mean you aren't infringing on someone else's patents. And even if you aren't infringing, doesn't mean someone else can't sue you.

And, while current Android phones may resemble the iPhone, that shot of the G1 looks nothing like an iPhone. What a ridiculous statement. First, it is white, iPhone was black only at that time. It has a track-ball and 5 separate buttons at the bottom. iPhone has 1 home button and no track-ball. The G1 is not flat, but actually angles out near the mouth piece. The iPhone is completely flat. The G1 has a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, iPhone does not. The G1 has a crowded menu bar (more like Windows Mobile if anything), not so with iPhone. There a huge widget (a clock) in middle of G1 screen, no widgets on iPhone. G1 has some kind of pop-up menu on screen, not so with iPhone (yet, ironically, iOS would add this later). And lastly, they both have folders/apps on the screen. What a novel concept for both of them there.
Absolutely correct. I'm not sure about the colour, but each single one of the other differences would be enough to make it different enough from the iPhone.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TWSS37 Avatar
171 months ago
Well, my buddy Small White Car has over a million shares in Apple for a start.
If Small White Car had over a million shares he'd be Fast Red Lamborghini.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AppleScruff1 Avatar
171 months ago
Since everyone is ok with Apple infringing on the patents of others I'm sure that being rational men you'll feel the same when someone else is accused of infringing on Apple's patents too. I know that no one would be hypocritical about that.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)