Apple Files Motion To Intervene Against Lodsys Lawsuit

Yesterday we reported that Apple started asking their developers if they were updating their apps in response to the Lodsys lawsuit that seems to be plaguing iOS and Android developers alike, and we said that there was no word from Apple with regards to the matter other than the stern letter that they sent to Lodsys asking them to drop the lawsuit.

Now it looks like Apple has stepped up the plate and filed a formal motion to intervene in the lawsuit that Lodsys was threatening their developers with. Also while there is no official confirmation it looks like Apple might be covering the costs and risks of the developers involved, which is rather generous of them. This issue is far from over but it looks like it’s a step in the right direction.

Apple Inc. (“Apple”) hereby respectfully moves to intervene as a defendant and counterclaim plaintiff in the above-captioned action brought by plaintiff Lodsys, LLC (“Lodsys”) against seven software application developers (collectively, “Developers”), forallegedly infringing U.S. Patent Nos. 7,222,078 (the “078 patent”) and 7,620,565 (the “565 patent” and, collectively, the “patents in suit”). Apple seeks to intervene because it is expressly licensed to provide to the Developers products and services that embody the patents in suit, free from claims of infringement of those patents.