Patent Troll Lodsys Attacks Another 10 iOS Developers Over In-App Purchases

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Remember Lodsys, the patent troll that began suing a bunch of indie iOS developers back in 2011 over their use of in-app purchases? Well, it’s back to do more trolling. The company has targeted another ten mobile game makers in its latest complaints, which it has been quietly filing in an East Texas court throughout 2013.

The studios named include Gameloft, Walt Disney, BackFlip Studios, and Gamevil.

Last May, Apple intervened in the Lodsys cases against several iOS developers in an effort to quash its demands, which include about one half-percent (.0575 percent, to be exact) of a developer’s revenue if they use in-app purchases. The Cupertino company argued that it had already licensed the necessary patents from Lodsys for iOS, and therefore developers should already be covered.

Google has also stepped up to defend Android developers who use in-app purchases.

But Apple’s argument is yet to be reviewed by the East Texas court, and so Lodsys is free to continue trolling app developers — which is what it’s been doing for several months. The company has also decided that it is entitled to royalties from websites that use certain types of “interactive chat, user feedback form, and survey features.”

So, pretty much any website, then.

Ars Technica has a list of the companies Lodsys has sued this year. Some of the iOS developers targeted include Gameloft, BackFlip Studios, Gamevil, Jirbo, MobileAge, Pocket Gems, and The Walt Disney Company. For each one, Lodsys states one example of an infringing app.

Lodsys gained a reputation for attacking smaller indie developers who might not have the means to battle the company in court, but its latest round of complaints shows it’s willing to go after big names, too. And it’s already had plenty of success; Ars reports that Atari, Take Two Interactive, and Estee Lauder all settled with the company in January.

Source: Ars Technica

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