Law firm that advised Samsung will represent Israeli startup suing Apple for infringing camera technology

Israeli startup, Corephotonics filed a patent infringement case suing Apple for copying its patented smartphone camera technology.

The Tel Aviv-based company had filed the case against Apple in federal court in San Jose, California, on Monday. According to the startup, Apple incorporated their patented dual-camera technology for mobile devices in the iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 8 Plus without required authorisation.

Corephotonics’ Chief Executive, David Mandelovic’s lawsuit claims that they had approached Apple for a partnership which the California-based company turned down. However, Apple did praise the startup’s technology but refused to license it. Corephotonics also claims that Apple suggested it could infringe on the former’s patent with little or no consequences.

According to a report in Business Insider, the complaint says, “Apple’s lead negotiator expressed contempt for Corephotonics’ patents, telling Dr. Mendlovic and others that even if Apple infringed, it would take years and millions of dollars in litigation before Apple might have to pay something.”

Overall, the startup has raised $50 million from high-profile VC firms and other investors. In January, Corephotonics had raised $15 million from investors that included Samsung Ventures, electronics manufacturer Foxconn, and chipmaker MediaTek. Foxconn is a contract manufacturer for Apple’s devices and MediaTek supplies modem chips.

Other investors in Corephotonics include Magma VC, Amiti Ventures, Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing, and Solina Chau’s Horizon Ventures. In addition, their investors include SanDisk and Chinese telephone services provider CK Telecom.

The same law firm that advised Samsung Electronics on its patent litigation with Apple, Quinn Emmanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, is also representing Corephotonics in this case.