Apple settles Thai news app infringement dispute

Resolution of a dispute with Apple has led to the Californian company paying an undisclosed settlement sum in relation to 5 apps which used content from several Thai news services.  Apple is merely the app distributor through its App Store. 

 

The Plaintiffs consisted of the Online News Providers Association, Thai Rath, Daily News, ASTV Manager, The Nation, Komchadluek, Krungthep Turakij, Post Today and Siam Sport. They filed a case at the Central Intellectual Property and International Trade Court alleging that Apple's App Store distributed 5 apps - THAINEWs+, Tiny-Thai News Reader, Thai News Reader, EveryNews and Thai Newspaper - all of which aggregated content from the 8 Thai media organizations. The suit asserted copyright in the 8 organizations' analysis, editorial, photos as well as compilations and arrangements of news.

The dispute has been settled and the case withdrawn. However further lawsuits against Google and Bangkok Search and Technologies Co Ltd - owner of the site www.yengo.com for similar types of infringement are ongoing.  Apple's vulnerability to app developers who copy others' IP remains an issue for the company.