Apple this week lost a patent infringement case related to iTunes software and was ordered to pay $532.9 million in fines.

As reported by Bloomberg, Apple argued that it never used the patents in question, and had asked the court to invalidate those patents, held by Texas-based Smartflash.

In a statement, Cupertino said Smartflash is nothing but a patent troll.

"Smartflash makes no products, has no employees, creates no jobs, has no U.S. presence, and is exploiting our patent system to seek royalties for technology Apple invented," an Apple spokeswoman said in an email. "We refused to pay off this company for the ideas our employees spent years innovating and unfortunately we have been left with no choice but to take this fight up through the court system."

Smartflash, meanwhile, said the jury "worked hard" through the trial, paying close attention to facts.

"Ultimately, the jury saw through Apple's arguments and reached the right result," a lawyer with Caldwell Cassady & Curry, which is representing Smartflash, told PCMag in a statement. "The jury's verdict provides well-deserved and long-overdue recognition."

The firm won't get the $852 million in damages it sought, but the final ruling still throws a heavy financial punch at Apple, which claimed the three patents were worth no more than $4.5 million, Bloomberg said.

According to the original suit, filed in May 2013, Apple's iTunes infringed on copyrights regarding access to and storage of downloaded songs, videos, and games. Smartflash specifically pointed to infringements in iOS apps developed by Game Circus and KingsIsle Entertainment. Those companies served as defendants, but were dismissed from the case last year, Bloomberg reported.

Launched at the turn of the century by inventor Patrick Racz, Smartflash's only business is licensing seven patents issued between 2008 and 2012, Bloomberg said.

Smartflash has also sued Google, Amazon, HTC, and Samsung for patent infringement regarding data storage and access systems.

For more, check out PCMag's roundup of iTunes tips in the slideshow above.

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