trinamiX sues Apple over Face ID patent infringement claims

trinamiX, a subsidiary of the chemical company BASF, has filed a lawsuit against Apple in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, alleging the infringement of seven patents related to biometric security.

The patents involve technology used in Face ID to distinguish real human skin from spoofing attempts such as photographs, 3D-printed masks, or silicone replicas. The system works by projecting a light pattern onto a face and analyzing the reflected light to determine material properties, combining this with 3D depth data for authentication.

trinamiX claims that while Apple did not use this technology when Face ID debuted in 2017, newer models do utilize it. The accused products include the iPhone 15, 16, and 17 series, the iPhone Air, and various iPad Pro models, including those equipped with M4 and M5 chips. The plaintiff is seeking damages and an injunction to block the sale and import of the infringing devices.