Apple settles trade secret lawsuit against chip startup Rivos By Reuters

© Reuters. File photo: The Apple logo is seen hanging at the entrance of the Apple store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, New York, USA, October 16, 2019. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo

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(Reuters) – Apple (NASDAQ:) plans to settle a lawsuit accusing tech startup Rivos of stealing trade secrets related to computer chip technology, according to a joint court filing in federal court in California on Friday.

The two companies told the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California that they had “signed an agreement that will likely resolve the case,” which would allow Apple to inspect Rivos’ systems and recover any confidential information.

Spokespeople for Apple and Rivos did not immediately respond to requests for comment and additional information about the settlement.

Apple sued “stealth” startup Rivos in 2022. Mountain View, California-based Rivos said it hired dozens of engineers and used confidential information to develop competing “system-on-a-chip” technology.

A SoC is an integrated circuit that contains multiple computer components on a single chip, including a central processing unit and graphics processing unit. Apple said in its lawsuit that it invested billions of dollars and more than a decade of research into the SoC’s design and “revolutionized the world of personal and mobile computing.”

Livos denied the claims, claiming that “from the moment Apple learned about the promising startup, it sought to punish Livos and any Apple employee who wanted to work there.” Last September, Apple countersued on the grounds of unfair competition.

Apple last month settled a related lawsuit brought against six former employees who left the company to join Rivos.