Apple is contesting a ruling that would force it to pay Optis $502 million for LTE patent infringement, but the UK Supreme Court has yet to reach a verdict.
The legal battle between Apple and Optis goes back to February 2019, and there’s still no end in sight all these years later. Apple was accused of infringing upon Optis’ LTE patents, which ultimately led to lawsuits in both the United Kingdom and the United States.
The latter case resulted in Apple’s victory, as it avoided paying Optis $300M in damages in February 2026. The outcome of the UK lawsuit, however, isn’t quite as clear-cut.
As spotted by 9to5mac and reported by The Financial Times, Apple now wants the UK Supreme Court to overturn a 2023 Court of Appeal ruling that would force it to pay Optis $502 million.
Initially, Apple was only supposed to pay $56 million, as decided by the High Court in London. Later, the Court of Appeal increased that amount to $502 million by using Optis’ deal with Google as a baseline and adding royalties dating back to 2013.
Apple, however, claims the increase was “arbitrary” and that the Court of Appeal “erred in law.” The outcome of the UK lawsuit remains to be seen, but the case could drag on for years to come.
Apple vs. Optis: The progression of the UK lawsuit
Back in 2020, the UK Supreme Court ruled that UK courts can set the payment rate for patents worldwide, even though the court can only consider the infringement of UK patents. This was good news for Optis, as it was free to seek more damages from Apple.
Optis claims that Apple violated its patents on LTE technology.
In July 2021, Optis wanted to force Apple into paying $7 billion in damages, along with a global royalty rate. Apple called the fee “commercially unacceptable” and threatened to leave the UK market if it was forced to pay such a high amount.
Later, in March 2022, the London High Court declared that Apple infringed two 4G patents held by Optis, which it described as “standard essential patents.”
Apple tried to argue that none of the patents were essential, and said it hadn’t committed any infringement. Still, its appeal was ultimately denied in July 2023.
Instead of the $7B sought by Optis, the London High Court said Apple had to pay only $56.43 million. However, Optis filed an appeal, which was ultimately successful. A $502 million fine was imposed by the UK Court of Appeal in May 2025.
This amount represents a lump sum covering 2013 to 2027, and was supposed to serve as a global license to use Optis LTE patents in the iPhone, Apple Watch, and other devices.
“[We are] pleased the UK Court of Appeal has recognized and corrected a clearly flawed prior ruling,” an Optis spokesperson told AppleInsider at the time, “and has made meaningful progress toward affirming the true value of our patents to Apple devices.”
Now, however, it’s up to the UK Supreme Court to decide just how much Apple will have to pay.
When the original Range Rover debuted in 1970, it introduced something the automotive world had not quite seen before: a vehicle as capable on a muddy trail as it was parked outside a five-star hotel. That unique combination of rugged capability and refined luxury few, if any, SUVs can pull off today. Yet, Land Rover has been doing it for five decades.
The current fifth-generation model, which arrived for 2022, extended that tradition with a cabin that let the quality of its materials speak for itself.
Now, the 2027 Audi Q9 is preparing to challenge it.
The Q9 makes its world debut on July 28th and is Audi’s first true full-size flagship SUV. While the exterior remains under wraps, Audi recently opened the doors for a first look at the interior. What’s inside reveals two very different philosophies about where traditional luxury is headed. Audi is betting on screens, sensors, and immersive technology, while Range Rover, in a notable move for 2027, is bringing physical knobs and controls back to the center console.
One brand is leaning forward. The other is going for a hint of nostalgia. Here is how they stack up.
Two cabins, unique two philosophies
Small details for discerning buyers
The Range Rover has long built its interior reputation on what it leaves out as much as what it puts in.
The current model is characterized by a clean and streamlined dashboard with minimal distractions. Premium materials include Windsor leather on the SE, semi-aniline leather on the SV, and sustainably sourced wood veneers across the lineup.
For 2027, the physical volume knob and Terrain Response selector are returning to the center console, reversing a decision made for the 2024 model year that moved those controls to the touchscreen. It is a small detail that some discerning buyers will appreciate. Although every new vehicle today has a touchscreen of some kind, the allure of a large screen has its limits.
Audi takes the opposite position with the Q9. The cabin moves away from the fingerprint-prone piano-black trim of earlier models, introducing matte and textured finishes alongside new materials. Q9 buyers will find Dinamica microfiber, Nappa leather, fine-grain ash inlays, and a carbon fiber weave with basalt gray accents. New colors, including Tamarind Brown and Stone Beige, complete the palette.
The primary difference between these two flagship SUVs lies in their digital architecture.
Digital Stage vs. Pivi Pro
Three displays or one interface
Audi’s Digital Stage includes three displays across the Q9’s dashboard. The primary OLED touchscreen is front and center, while a driver’s instrument cluster is tucked just beyond the steering wheel.
The third screen is separate for passengers and sure to be enjoyed on long road trips by whoever is sitting there. Front-seat passengers can stream content from their own queue, whether that’s a YouTube video, a show on Netflix, or a podcast playlist, without interfering with anything on the driver’s side.
Range Rover’s Pivi Pro system uses a 13.1-inch central touchscreen as its primary interface, paired with a 12-inch interactive driver display. The system is quick, organized, and accessible within two taps from the home screen. There is no dedicated front passenger display, though 11.4-inch rear seat entertainment screens are available on the Autobiography trim and above.
The dedicated passenger screen may give the Audi Q9 an edge over the Range Rover and other competitors like the Lexus LX, which also does not offer a separate infotainment screen. However, both the Lexus LX and Range Rover offer rear-seat entertainment.
The Mercedes-Benz GLS and Cadillac Escalade, other prime competitors to the Audi Q9, also offer a rear-seat entertainment system, in addition to the separate passenger screen.
At the time of this writing, Audi has not confirmed the availability of a rear seat entertainment system for the Q9. Given the nature of its competitors, however, it seems in Audi’s best interest to include it as an option.
And finally, the return of physical knobs to the Range Rover for 2027 is the sharpest contrast to the Q9’s all-screen approach. Audi is presenting a cabin where most functions require screen interaction. Range Rover, after trying the same approach, concluded its buyers prefer not to hunt through sub-menus for simple volume and terrain controls.
Audi enthusiasts may bristle. Cadillac loyalists might feel the same. But nonetheless, here we are.
Sound systems and the sensory experience
Meridian versus Bang & Olufsen 4D
The Bang & Olufsen 4D sound system in the Q9 includes physical actuators built into the front seats so occupants can feel low-end frequencies, not just hear them. Audi’s Dynamic Interaction Light, an LED strip at the base of the windshield, syncs its color and rhythm to the music, with the color scheme matched to the track’s cover art. Headrest speakers route phone calls and navigation prompts privately to the driver.
Range Rover has a bespoke Meridian Signature Sound System, standard on the Autobiography and above, tuned specifically to the cabin’s acoustics. The SV and SV Ultra models offer a more advanced Meridian configuration, albeit without the seat actuator sensations.
Meanwhile, the Audi Q9 has a seven-seat layout as standard, with an optional six-seat configuration with power-adjustable captain’s chairs in the second row. The outer second-row seat slides and tilts forward to ease third-row access without removing child car seats. Audi also introduces an aluminum rail system in the trunk for securing cargo in three dimensions, and includes roof-rail crossbars as standard.
Range Rover’s Long Wheelbase seven-seat layout has been available since the current generation launched, with semi-aniline heated leather across all three rows as standard on the LWB SE. The Autobiography and SV trims add the aforementioned rear seat entertainment screens, a front-center console refrigerator, and four-zone climate control.
Display Type
OLED
Radar Band Detection
X, K, Ka
The Uniden R8 is a dual-antenna radar detector with directional arrows, known for its long-range detection and false alert filtering capabilities. Comes preloaded with red light and speed camera locations and supports firmware updates for ongoing performance enhancements.
Electric doors and adaptive headlights
Where the Q9 pulls ahead
Three Q9 features have no direct equivalent in the current Range Rover.
All four doors on the Q9 open electronically at the push of a button, up to 90 degrees, with sensors that detect approaching cyclists. Drivers close them by pressing the brake pedal or fastening their seatbelt. Range Rover offers power doors on the SV trims, but Audi makes them standard across the entire Q9 lineup.
The Q9’s panoramic sunroof spans approximately 16 square feet and uses nine individually controllable glass segments that dim electronically. An optional LED package adds 84 lights inside the roof in up to 30 colors, matched to the cabin’s ambient lighting.
The Q9 also brings Digital Matrix LED headlights to U.S. customers for the first time. Using front-facing cameras, the system detects oncoming traffic and selectively masks the light around those vehicles, keeping maximum illumination everywhere else on the road.
According to a recent AAA survey, six in ten U.S. drivers struggle with headlight glare. Range Rover’s Pixel LED headlights, standard on the Autobiography and above, are excellent, but Audi’s matrix approach represents a meaningful step forward in lighting technology for U.S. buyers.
2027 Audi Q9 coming soon
The 2027 Range Rover SE starts at $113,300, with the Autobiography beginning at $159,200. The SV lineup starts at $219,500 and climbs to $275,000 for the Long Wheelbase SV Ultra.
The 2027 Audi Q9 is expected to start around $80,000, with higher trims landing between $90,000 and $95,000.
Audi will reveal the full Q9 details on July 28th, with North American deliveries expected as early as November.
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