trinamiX Sues Apple Over Face ID Skin Detection Patents

BASF subsidiary trinamiX has sued Apple, alleging that Face ID technology in several iPhone and iPad Pro models infringes seven patents related to skin and material detection. The complaint filed Thursday, September 3, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas and first reported by Reuters.



According to the complaint, the company spent the past decade developing technology to address a security gap that leaves conventional facial-recognition systems vulnerable to spoofing with photographs, 3D-printed masks, and silicone replicas. The filing says Apple did not use the patented technology when Face ID debuted with the iPhone X in 2017, but alleges that newer devices do. It says Apple "knew or should have known of the high probability" of infringement, causing "substantial damages and irreparable injury."


The patents fall into two families: four covering the detection of human skin during facial authentication and three covering the identification of a material's properties. The system described in the filing projects a pattern of light onto a face and analyzes how it reflects back to determine surface characteristics. Combined with 3D depth information, that analysis can distinguish real skin from photos or masks.

The company traces its origins to 2010, when BASF scientists working on organic solar cells made unexpected discoveries that led to early 3D camera prototypes. BASF established the unit as a standalone company in 2014, and it now holds more than 800 granted or pending patents worldwide.

The accused products include the iPhone 15, iPhone 16, and iPhone 17 lineups, along with the iPhone Air. The filing also names the fourth-generation 11-inch and sixth-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro, the 11- and 13-inch iPad Pro models with M4 and M5 chips, and unspecified other iPhone and iPad models.

The plaintiff is asking the court to find that Apple infringed the patents, block Apple from making, using, selling, offering for sale, or importing the accused devices, and award damages and attorneys' fees. It has also requested a jury trial. Apple did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment.


For the nine months ending June 27, Apple reported $196.5 billion in iPhone sales and $21.7 billion in iPad sales.

The lawsuit joins other recent patent disputes involving Apple products. Reincubate filed a January 2026 lawsuit over Continuity Camera, while Apple was ordered to pay Masimo $634 million in November 2025 in a separate dispute over Apple Watch technology.