Kodak Wins Initial Ruling in Patent Countersuit by Apple

kodak logoBloomberg reports that Eastman Kodak has achieved a victory with an initial ruling from a U.S. International Trade Commission judge stating that the company has not infringed two Apple patents cited in a lawsuit filed last year. That lawsuit by Apple was initiated in response to a patent lawsuit by Kodak filed several months earlier.

Neither of the two patents in Apple's case before the ITC were being infringed, and one of the patents is invalid, Judge Robert Rogers in Washington said yesterday. The judge's findings are subject to review by the six-member ITC, which has the power to block imports of products that infringe U.S. patents.

A similar initial determination in Kodak's case against Apple and Research in Motion ruled against Kodak in January, but the broader ITC panel decided to reexamine the case, breathing new life into Kodak's efforts to extract as much as $1 billion in licensing fees from Apple and Research in Motion.

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
imac video apple feature

Apple Makes Its Second-Biggest Acquisition Ever

Tuesday February 3, 2026 12:45 pm PST by
Apple recently acquired Israeli startup Q.ai for close to $2 billion, according to Financial Times sources. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone maker Beats in 2014. This is also the largest known Apple acquisition since the company purchased Intel's smartphone modem business and patents for $1 billion in 2019....
iOS 26 Home Feature

Apple Gives Final Warning to Home App Users

Tuesday February 3, 2026 8:55 am PST by
In 2022, Apple introduced a new Apple Home architecture that is "more reliable and efficient," and the deadline to upgrade and avoid issues is fast approaching. In an email this week, Apple gave customers a final reminder to upgrade their Home app by February 10, 2026. Apple says users who do not upgrade may experience issues with accessories and automations, or lose access to their smart...
Apple Logo Zoomed

Tim Cook Teases Plans for Apple's Upcoming 50th Anniversary

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026. "I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
maxresdefault

M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro Launch Imminent as Reseller Stock Dwindles

Tuesday February 3, 2026 12:12 pm PST by
New M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro models are slated to launch in the near future, according to information shared with MacRumors by an Apple Premium Reseller. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The third-party Apple retailer said that MacBook Pro stock is very low currently because there is an imminent new product introduction. Apple typically coordinates supply with...

Top Rated Comments

Small White Car Avatar
192 months ago
Man, I love Apple and all, but it's funny that they think they can somehow beat the inventors of the digital camera in such a way that Apple comes out completely on top.

I know this legal stuff involves a lot of give and take and there's never a total winner, but surely Kodak's got the upper hand in this particular fight, yeah?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lilo777 Avatar
192 months ago
Or Apple can simply bury and sufficate them with the Apple cash stockpile.

Or for once they could just pay people for inventing stuff.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mattie Num Nums Avatar
192 months ago
Or Apple can simply bury and sufficate them with the Apple cash stockpile.

You mean the cash stockpile they have that's overseas and don't want to spend because of taxes?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
weespeed Avatar
192 months ago
*pssst* I think you missed the part of the article where it mentioned Kodak "getting their ass handed to them" in January. Kodak started the fight, Apple counter fired, and it's looking more and more like a zero-sum game, where Apple and RIM will not have to pay licensing fees.
No. The ruling to determine if Apple and RIM owe Kodak money is in September. They are re-examining the ruling against Kodak. I suspect because Samsung and LG already are paying Kodak royalties now.

Apple lost their counter-suit and now one of their patents have been found to be invalid. This is actually bad news for Apple regarding this patent suit.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
samcraig Avatar
192 months ago
So what. No effect to Apple. Everything that is critical, Apple already has rights to.

Great post.. only... if Apple had won - I guarantee you'd be singing another tune, right?

Predictable post from predictable posters.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
philr5150 Avatar
192 months ago

Oh, and Apple should definitely buy Kodak and their huge patent collection and then collect royalties from all of their competitors. That would be ingenious and very Steve Jobs-like.

Really? Bill Gates did that and the world called him a sonofabitch. Jobs do it and it's a stroke of genius?

It's called patent-trolling. Enough companies already doing that. Apple should just concentrate on making functional, cool-looking devices.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)