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BRAIN-SLURP case: Battery maker and Apple reach agreement
Settlement likely by end of May - court docs
A123 Systems and fruitchomp goliath Apple are close to finalising a settlement over the battery-maker's accusation that Cupertino poached its engineers.
Back in February, A123 filed against Apple, accusing it of slurping staff that were working on what it described as a new battery technology.
It said Apple started robbing its fruit in June 2014 to bolster its own battery design efforts for a rumoured electric car project under the code-name “Titan”. After poaching one engineer, A123 complained, Apple set its new hire busy lifting other staff.
A filing from A123 with the Massachusetts District Court asks the court to extend a motion to dismiss the case to May 26, on the basis that “the parties have reached an agreement, signed a term sheet, and are in the process of drafting a final settlement agreement”.
The court filings show that the two companies began settlement discussions in March.
Once a clean-tech poster-child, A123 got in a pickle and filed for bankruptcy in 2012. It was then acquired by Chinese company Wanxiang for US$251 million. ®