HyperMac‘s line of external battery packs for iPods, iPhones, iPads, and Mac laptops were impressive when we first saw the new ones at CES in January, and the HyperMac iPad Stand made our list of most ingenious iPad accessories, but the connector that all of those devices use to connect to the Apple products they support are patented by Apple. Now, Apple is weighing in on the matter with a lawsuit against HyperMac’s parent company, Sanho.
The suit accuses Sanho of patent infringement by using the proprietary MagSafe and iPod Dock Connectors on the HyperMac external battery packs without Apple’s explicit approval, and the suit specifically names the new HyperMac products announced at CES earlier this year as infringing on Apple’s patents. Sanho, on the other hand, claims they use original Apple-made and user-recycled MagSafe connectors in their products, not re-manufactured or copied products.
It’s difficult to see whether Apple is out to recover costs or stamp out HyperMac products entirely, but Apple did say in the suit that they notified Sanho of the issue three times earlier this year before filing suit. Now we’ll either have to wait and see what the courts say or wait for Sanho to cut a check to make Apple go away.
[via AppleInsider]
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