Overview
- TrinamiX, a BASF subsidiary, filed a patent-infringement complaint against Apple on Friday, September 4, 2026 in U.S. District Court in Midland, Texas.
- The suit says Apple used seven TrinamiX patents for a biometric imaging method called beam or strahlprofil analysis that can identify skin and materials behind OLED screens.
- Plaintiffs say the disputed techniques appeared in Apple products starting with the iPhone 15 line and later iPhone and iPad Pro models, which is the reason the claim was filed only recently.
- TrinamiX is seeking unspecified monetary damages and an order to stop further infringement, and Apple had not issued a public response at the time of filing.
- TrinamiX grew from a 2015 BASF research spinout, holds roughly 800 patents and about 200 staff, and the case could force licensing, product design changes, or settlements that affect Apple revenue from devices using Face ID.