Apple settles Burst patent dispute

APPLE has signed an agreement to end two years of litigation with audio software specialist Burst.com, saying it will pay Burst.com a one-time payment of US$10 million (A$11.4 million.)

The one-time payment will give Apple non-exclusive license to Burst’s patent portfolio, except four specified DVR technologies.

The $10 million patent license provides Apple with the right to use Burst’s intellectual property in its own technology and products, without further consideration. Burst, however, retains the right to enforce its patent portfolio against others.

Court costs, expenses and attorney’s fees in connection with the settlement of the litigation with Apple will reduce proceeds to the Company to approximately $4.6 million.

The Apple litigation related to audio compression software used in iPod players, iTunes, iLife and QuickTime.

Burst settled a similar dispute for US$50 million last year.

“Burst plans to continue identifying and evaluating companies who represent licensing opportunities and intends to diligently pursue those likely to yield suitable returns,” the company said in a statement.

“Burst does not plan to announce specific names of suspected infringing products or companies in advance of negotiating with them or filing litigation to enforce its patent rights.”

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Without peer: Apple sells 100 millionth iPod

IT IS more than five years and 100 million iPod sales after Apple virtually created the portable digital music player market and the company still has no credible competitor in the market.

And it is not like the company is going to let anyone forget it. Apple wheeled out a truckload of celebrity spokespeople to celebrate its 100 millionth iPod sale – from hip hop chick Mary J. Blige to pushbike rider Lance Armstrong.

Apple has released 10 new models since the first iPod was launched in November 2001, including five generations of iPod, two generations of iPod mini, two generations of iPod nano and two generations of iPod shuffle.

Since 2004, the market has been flooded with other music players, all competitors to the iPod. But none of those competitors has looked like presenting a challenge to Apple’s dominance of the space.

The iPod has also sparked an ecosystem of more than 4,000 accessories made specifically for the iPod, ranging from fashionable cases to speaker systems. More than 70 percent of 2007-model US automobiles currently offer iPod connectivity.

The iPod companion, the iTunes Store features the world’s largest catalog with over five million songs and 350 TV shows. The iTunes online store has sold more than 2.5 billion songs.

Apple chief executive Steve Jobs called the 100 milionth iPod sale an “historic milestone” and claimed the music player had helped rekindle a love of music in millions.

“It’s hard to remember what I did before the iPod,” said Mary J. Blige.

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