RE:Request on behalf of new comers/ those looking to buy moreShareholders1, I'll provide the high level summary. Cabbiejbj can provide more detail later.
The case against Apple relates to infringement of wireless patents that Wilan (a Quarterhill sub) owns. Most of the major handset companies including Samsugg already have licensed the patents in question. Apple is the last major holdout. On Aug. 1, 2018, a U.S. District Court jury for the Southern District of California asked Apple to pay $145 million US in damages. Apple appealed. On Jan. 24, 2020, in the retrial, the U.S. district jury awarded Wilan $85 million US in damages. On June 16, 2020, the court denied Apple's motions for retrial or lowering the damages award and also awarded WiLAN an additional amount of $23.75 million in pre-judgment interest bringing the total award to $109 million USD. Apple has appealed the judgement to CAFC (the next higher court). Apple submitted their appeal brief on Nov. 20, 2020. There are a number of standard elements in the Apple appeal that run the gamut from they don't owe anything to if they do owe something, it should be a much lesser unit price amount calculated on the cost of the wireless receiver instead of the entire phone. Wilan has responded to the Apple Appeal and has stated that the district court made errors and that the original court jury award of $145 million USD should be reinstated.
CAFC will likely issue a deceision in the case between August to October 2021. If the judgement is favorable to Wilan, Apple could decided to appeal to the Supreme Court, However, since there is nothing novel about this patent litigation case, it's unlikely the Supreme Court would take up the case. The Supreme Court would usually make a decison as to whether they would take up the case within 6 months (it could be as little as 3 months). If the Supreme Court rejects the case, Apple would pay Wilan damages within a few weeks of the decision.
One very important thing to note is the Apple case and award is only for iPhone models 6 and 7. Post iPhone 7 models also infringe Wilans patents. As a result, the court award will be approximately doubled when the post iPhone 7 models are included. So the final award could range from $218 million US (2X109) to $372 million US (2X145X1.28 for pre-judgement interest). There is also post-interest judgement.
I rate the odds of a successful outcome for Wilan as very high. The case has already gone to two juries who have found in favor of Wilan.