Audio firm THX have entered into a lawsuit with Apple, alleging that the Californian tech giant infringed on one of its patents by releasing certain speaker units in the new slimline iMac.
The audio company, founded by George Lucas in 1983, holds a patent granted in 2008 for "a speaker unit that can boost sound output and attach to computers or flat-screen televisions," according to the complaint details filed yesterday in San Jose, California.
Whilst the court filing specifies both iPhones and iPads to also be infringing devices, AppleInsider notes that the newly released slimline iMacs use the exact audio design as described by THX. According to the lawsuit, though, any Apple device that uses the infringing speaker units are subject to legal action, causing "monetary damage and irreparable harm" to the company.
Both companies are more likely to prefer a settlement, however, before entering into a full-scale courtroom disagreement, Engadget reports.
The lawsuit follows in a line of bodies seeking legal action against Apple, the latest being a class-action suit against the company regarding ghosting on new Retina MacBook pro screens, reported yesterday.
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