Apple is 'Actively Investigating' Lodsys Patent Infringement Notices

Apple is 'actively investigating' the Lodsys patent infringement notices continually being sent to iOS developers, according to the Guardian.

Lodsys is demanding that iOS developers pay it a fee for implementing an in-app upgrade button.

Our app, Mix & Mash, has the common model of a limited free, lite, version and a full version that contains all the features. We were told that the button that users click on to upgrade the app, or rather link to the full version on the app store was in breach of US patent no 7222078, we couldn't believe it, the upgrade button!?!


Answering questions about the notices, Lodsys claims that Apple, Google, and Microsoft have licensed their patents; however, their licenses don't apply to third parties.

The scope of their current licenses does NOT enable them to provide "pixie dust" to bless another (3rd party) business applications. The value of the customer relationship is between the Application vendor of record and the paying customer, the OS (is acting as an enabler) and the retailers (are acting as a conduit to connect that value), and taking their % for that middleman role.

Apple is not expected to respond to the situation until later this week.

Read More [via Roy]