Real Networks has disclosed that its Harmony technology puts the company at risk of legal action from Apple. The company’s Harmony translation software enabled songs purchased from the company’s music store to play on iPods.
“If Apple decides to commence litigation against us in order to prevent interoperation with its products, we may be forced to spend money defending their legal challenge, which could harm our operating results,” the company said in an SEC filing this week. “Although we believe our Harmony technology is legal, there is no assurance that a court would agree with our position.”
Real also said Apple will mostly likely “continue to modify its technology to break the interoperability that Harmony provides to consumers” and that it “may no longer work with Apple’s products, which could harm our business and reputation, or we may be forced to incur additional development costs to refine Harmony to make it interoperate again.”
