Noise Free Wireless (NFW), a Silicon Valley company based out of Santa Clara owns a patent for noise reduction technique which helps in filtering out background noises like wind from a typical conversation over cell phones. NFW claims that Apple ripped off part of its patented technology to implement noise reduction techniques in iPhone 4, iPhone 4S and all versions of iPads.
In mid 2007, NFW met Apple for the first time presenting Apple with its patented technology in September later that year. Since then NFW was in a series of discussions with Apple to implement its technology in Apple devices. NFW claims that it even provided Apple with a sample circuit board which will help Apple analyze the technology better. Before handling over the required code and documents both companies verbally agree over a non disclosure agreement and then signed a document as well.
But things started to mess up when Apple finally decided to go with Audience to implement Noise Cancellation in their devices in 2010. NFW claims that “extracted Noise Free’s proprietary and confidential object code, determined Noise Free’s noise reduction software and measured and duplicated the signal traces from the circuit board and microcontroller,” and supplied the information to Audience.
This is some serious allegations made agains Apple. Violation of patents is quite a common issue but selling patented confidential information to rivals is downright cheap!