- Court: Intellectual Property Archives
- Area(s) of Law: Copyright
- Date Filed: 09-28-2011
- Case #: 10-15113
- Judge(s)/Court Below: Schroeder
Apple Inc. (鈥淎pple鈥) created Mac OS X software for Apple computers.听 Psystar Corp. (鈥淧systar鈥) made computers and sold them with Mac OS X software loaded onto them.听 Apple sued Psystar alleging copyright infringement of its Mac OS X software because Apple specifically limited the use of its Mac OS X software to Apple Computers.听 The district court found that Apple had a valid copyright in the Mac OS X software and that Psystar had infringed Apple鈥檚 copyright by putting the Mac OS X software on Psystar鈥檚 computers that it sold.听 Psystar appealed the district court鈥檚 decision and argued that Apple鈥檚 limitation on the copyright of Mac OS X software was a misuse of its copyright because the Apple was trying to control the Mac OS X software after it was sold.听 Psystar argues that because it purchased retail versions of Mac OS X software, Apple鈥檚 copyright shouldn鈥檛 control where they put the software after they purchase it.听 However, the Court of Appeals held that Apple was not misusing its license by placing a condition on the use of their software because other competitor鈥檚 can still create their own operating systems.听 The Court of Appeals AFFIRMED judgment in favor of Apple.