Last June, Apple asked a U.S. district court judge to allow the company to intervene in cases brought by Lodsys against iOS developers. Now, the judge has agreed.
Widely considered a “patent troll,” Lodsys owns a patent on in-app purchasing, and last year it began suing mobile development firms and independent developers whose apps allowed in-app purchases. Because it had previously licensed the Lodsys patent, Apple claims that those licensing rights extend to iPhone and iPad developers. The fact that Apple is stepping in with its substantial legal resources should help to encourage small developers facing the lawsuits.