Google ordered to pay Sonos $32.5 Million in smart-speaker patent case

A San Francisco federal jury has ruled that Google must pay $32.5 million in damages to Sonos for infringing on one of the smart-speaker maker’s patents in its wireless audio devices. This ruling is part of a broader intellectual property conflict between the two companies, involving additional legal battles across multiple countries. Sonos initiated the legal action against Google in 2020, alleging that the tech giant had unlawfully replicated its technology during their collaborative efforts on products like Google Home and Chromecast Audio. In response, Google filed its own patent infringement lawsuits against Sonos.

In 2022, the US International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled that Google infringed on five audio technology patents held by the speaker manufacturer Sonos and is not allowed to import products that violate Sonos’s intellectual property into the USA.

While the recent jury decision found Google to be in breach of one of Sonos’ patents, the awarded damages fell short of Sonos’ original claim of $90 million. Google contends that the case revolves around specific features and characterizes it as a “limited dispute,” while Sonos perceives the verdict as evidence of Google’s recurrent patent infringement.