German chemical company BASF filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Apple. BASF alleges Apple's Face ID technology violates patents held by its subsidiary, trinamiX GmbH. BASF filed the complaint on September 3, 2026, in a U.S. District Court in Texas. The suit claims dozens of iPhone and iPad models, equipped with facial recognition, infringe upon trinamiX's proprietary technology.
trinamiX, a spinoff from BASF's research division, was founded in 2015. The company specializes in 3D imaging and biometric security. trinamiX developed and patented facial authentication technology. This technology includes systems designed for placement behind OLED screens. These systems are certified for high-security applications on Android devices.
Apple has not yet publicly responded to the lawsuit. Initial reports have not detailed the specific patents or financial damages sought by BASF.