Pystar Annihilation Postponed (Temporarily)
Psystar’s 17-month legal battle with Apple may not end in the Mac clone maker’s total obliteration. The two companies have agreed to a partial settlement, court documents show.
Further details are yet to come, but in a U.S. District Court filing Monday, Psytar said, “Psystar and Apple today entered into a partial settlement that is embodied in a stipulation that will be filed with the Court tomorrow. Psystar has agreed on certain amounts to be awarded as statutory damages on Apple’s copyright claims in exchange for Apple’s agreement not to execute on these awards until all appeals in this matter have been concluded. Moreover, Apple has agreed to voluntarily dismiss all its trademark, trade-dress, and state-law claims. This partial settlement eliminates the need for a trial and reduces the issues before this Court to the scope of any permanent injunction on Apple’s copyright claims.”
Odd that Apple (AAPL), which just days ago seemed intent on hanging Psystar’s lifeless body from the gates of 1 Infinite Loop, would agree to such a thing. Odder still, that it would do so when Psystar is petitioning to have its Rebel EFI utility–which enables Apple’s Snow Leopard OS to be installed on generic PCs–excluded from any injunction.
In any event, it’s good news for Psystar, which had previously been facing damages of at least $2.1 million and the shuttering of its business.