Key Patent Innovations and Malikie Innovations are suing Xiaomi over alleged patent infringement, seeking details of Apple's old Blackberry licensing deals to potentially license them to the Chinese smartphone maker. Apple is fighting in court to block this disclosure, arguing that revealing its highly confidential agreements would cause "gravely harm" and that Xiaomi's in-house attorneys couldn't be trusted with the information. The core issue involves patents originally from Blackberry, sold off years ago, now central to SEP disputes where licensing terms must be FRAND-compliant.

Apple's fear is that Xiaomi, its direct competitor, would gain an unfair advantage. The Texas court already granted Xiaomi limited access to some Apple-Blackberry contracts, but Apple is appealing to prevent further disclosure. This case highlights the lingering legal shadows of Blackberry's demise and the complex world of SEP licensing where patent trolls profit from litigation.