Apple Inc. was told by a federal jury in Texas to pay US$506.2 million in patent royalties to closely held Optis Wireless Technology over 4G telecommunications technology in the iPhone and other devices.

Optis’s lawyers said it was the first patent jury trial in the U.S. since the pandemic began. The jury in Marshall, Texas, found that five patents were infringed. It also found that the infringement was willful, which could mean an increase in the damages.

Otis claimed that Apple’s smartphones, watches, and tablets that operate over the LTE cellular standard were using its technology. Apple pledged to appeal.

“Lawsuits like this by companies who accumulate patents simply to harass the industry only serve to stifle innovation and harm consumers,” Apple said in a statement.

The case is Optis Wireless Technology v. Apple Inc., 19-66, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas (Marshall).