Face ID Controversy: BASF Sues Apple for Patent Infringement

BASF has initiated a lawsuit against Apple in the United States, alleging that the tech giant has infringed on patents associated with facial recognition technologies used in Apple’s Face ID for both iPhone and iPad, according to Reuters. The lawsuit, filed by BASF’s subsidiary trinamiX, claims that they have spent the last decade developing technologies designed to thwart identity spoofing efforts, such as those involving 3D-printed masks and silicone replicas. Notably, the lawsuit does not target the original version of Face ID that debuted with the iPhone X nine years ago but rather focuses on an advanced version of the technology that was incorporated into the iPhone 15 in 2023.

“Apple knew or should have known that there was a high likelihood that the update of its iPhones and iPads to incorporate Face ID using material and skin detection” would infringe upon seven of trinamiX’s patents, causing “substantial damage and irreparable harm,” the lawsuit states. The case is being presented in the U.S. District Court in Midland, Texas. BASF is seeking damages and an adjustment from Apple, which may involve altering the disputed technology or compensating for the use of the patented technologies.