Apple Inc. is once again in the legal crosshairs, this time targeted by artificial intelligence and software firm Cerence AI. The Massachusetts-based company filed a lawsuit Thursday accusing Apple of infringing six patents that underpin voice command monitoring and text recognition technologies used in some of Apple’s most popular devices.
Cerence Draws the Line
Cerence general counsel Jennifer Salinas made the company’s stance clear: “We have a robust patent portfolio, and we are committed to enforcing our intellectual property rights, thereby protecting our innovations, investments and customers.”
The company said it holds more than 700 patents, including around 100 dedicated to mobile text entry technology, covering everything from swipe and gesture texting to predictive text, auto-correction, and handwritten character recognition.
The Accused Apple Features
According to the complaint, Apple has allegedly incorporated Cerence’s technology into multiple products without permission. Functions under scrutiny include the “slide to type” iOS keyboard, predictive word pattern recognition, and voice command monitoring tools that operate even in low-power or idle modes.
Cerence listed iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, and HomePods among the devices deploying the contested technology.
The firm claims it first approached Apple in 2021 about licensing or acquiring its mobile text entry patents. Talks stalled, and Apple allegedly continued using the disputed innovations without a license.
“Apple has yet to stop its use of Cerence’s technology or to seek a license,” the suit reads.
