BASF filed a lawsuit against Apple in the United States on Thursday (3), alleging that the iPhone manufacturer infringed patents related to a facial authentication technology used in several iPhone and iPad models.
The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court located in Midland, Texas. According to the petition, BASF's trinamiX unit developed over the last decade a technology designed to correct security flaws in traditional facial recognition systems, which are vulnerable to fraud using photographs, 3D printed masks, or silicone replicas.
BASF argues that its patented technology allows for the identification of skin characteristics and materials during the facial authentication process, which helps prevent these types of fraudulent attempts. The company claims that Apple did not use this patented technology when it introduced Face ID, the facial authentication system launched with the iPhone X in 2017, but later incorporated it into various products.
The devices mentioned in the accusation include the iPhone 15, iPhone 16, and iPhone 17 lines, as well as the iPad Pro and other items. In the action, trinamiX asserts that Apple knew or should have known the high probability that updating its iPhones and iPads to include material and skin detection features in Face ID would infringe seven of the company's patents.
BASF states that this alleged infringement has resulted in 'substantial damages and irreparable harm.' The German company is seeking financial compensation, although it has not specified an amount, in addition to a court order prohibiting Apple from continuing the patent infringement.
This litigation occurs amid a debate about the use of biometric technologies in electronic devices, pitting one of the largest global technology corporations against a German chemical company that adapted research initially focused on solar cells to create a sensor and authentication platform. In terms of financial performance, Apple recorded sales of US$ 196.5 billion in iPhones and US$ 21.7 billion in iPads in the nine months ending June 27.