3 Times Apple or Microsoft Faced Legal Patent Issues You'd NEVER Believe

This is rather shocking given the fact that we're talking about two mega-giants in the technology space: Apple and Microsoft. Who would've thought either one of these techno-monsters would ever face something like a lawsuit over a patent or trademark or copyright, right?

The Fact Is This: Even Apple and Microsoft Can Be Under Legal Heat

This says plenty about our legal system with respect to copyright, trademark and patent law. You don't have to be a big company to be impervious to the power of the legal system. Yes, it's true: even Donald Trump could face legal heat! 

It shouldn't come as a surprise that such heavy hitters as Apple and Microsoft also get a whiff of legal problems even from the small competitors out there, so check these out. These are three top cases involving Apple or Microsoft, and you won't believe what's been done, how much money's been won, and -- more importantly -- who won in these legal cases:

• VPN -- You've heard of this, right? One of Apple's babies, but unfortunately it turns out Apple's not the legitimate "father," so to speak. Check this out for yourself and read on the scoop.
• FaceTime and iMessage -- You'd think Apple would have the goods on terms starting with the lowercase "i" ("Face" though seems like an easy one to assume given "FACEbook"). That's not the case either! This case, as it were, was all the rage in patent, copyright and trademark law back in the day.
• Skype -- For years, it seems, the valuable and recognizable messaging and communications service swept the nation under the Microsoft label. Did you know that Skype originally came from something else, though? And Microsoft was nothing more than a "legal kidnapper"?

We're Telling You: It's Weird Thinking That Big Companies Like This Actually Stole (for Lack of a Better Term) a Copyright, Trademark or Patent

But it's true. They did. And the result was a massive payout of a lot of money. Not that the payout broke the banks of either of these big players, though. Both Apple and Microsoft honestly have plenty of money to play around with, and needless to say, sometimes companies aren't aware of current patents, trademarks and copyrights, and must settle somehow to an equitable decision in or out of court.

This is just to prove to you this important fact -- no matter how small you are as a business, you have certain legal rights to your intellectual property! Don't think a big corporation is exempt from respecting those rights. Stand up. Take note. And pursue what's right.

Why VPN (Virtual Private Network) Doesn't Belong to Hot Techno-Giant Apple

Here's why you need to be in the know about the latest technology, especially if you're an up-and-comer and don't want to step on any legal toes. Apple, one of the biggest players in the Internet game, skyrocketed out of the gate with VPN as a major function. But who would've thought.... 

Apple, In Fact, Never Invented the Function at All

This happened back in 2012 when one company known as VirnetX filed a lawsuit with Apple over the function known as VPN. How so? It was  an infringement upon the exact same technology developed by VirnetX and essentially made "popular" by the computer giant with the iOS versions 3 through 6.

The trial took about a week for deliberation, but once it was resolved, it turned out to be very clear: Apple infringed upon VirnetX's two U.S. patents: 6,502,135 and 7,490,151. Damages found by the jury racked up totals of well over $330MM just on those two infringement findings alone. We'd normally say that with a bit more bravado, but the fact is this -- Apple's huge. And while 334 million bucks is enough to buy a country, Apple sees that as, well, apples, and remained professional about it.

The Story, However, Wasn't Over by a Longshot....

As Apple faced even more legal issues from the same plaintiff, so it's pretty clear as to the moral of the story: technology deals in very serious legalities. If you're going to develop a brand in the industry, make sure it's definitely your own -- or literally anyone -- at least anyone developing a patent or copyright before you -- can rise up and file something against you. It doesn't matter if you're a technological giant like Apple or not.

Why FaceTime and iMessage Cost Apple Literally Millions of Legal Dollars

And, no, it's not because of Facebook. And don't be surprised: Apple doesn't own the entirety of all "i"-labeled words, believe it or not. Sure, they've got the iPhone, and the iPad. But it turns out.... That iMessage really never belonged to Apple, all because of yet another nasty lawsuit like this one, costing the computer mega-giant massive amounts of money.

Apple Ended Up Shelling Out  a Whopping $290.7MM for Being Found Guilty of Infringement

The plaintiff, VirnetX, certainly won a big Christmas present there. After deliberation of the technology patents responsible for the advent that was FaceTime and iMessage, Apple was stuck with a nasty lawsuit about a violation of the company's two major patents: 7,418,504 and 7,921,211. These two patents harness the technology making FaceTime and iMessage possible!

And to make it worse.... The court found that Apple willfully infringed upon original patents '135 and '151 associated with the technology of VPN (it simply means Apple knew they were "stealing" ideas) and have faced even more monetary damages on top of that. Ouch.

This Should Tell You That While Your Business Gets Big, Your Legal Stuff Needs to Stay Humble

Even a massive powerhouse like Apple can face the legal ropes in a big way. So stay humble. Especially in the legal field. Of course, we're pretty certain that out of several big technology lawsuits in our history, no matter how much money's involved, major heavy hitters can handle it without a problem!