AlmondNet, Inc. v. Oath Holdings Inc.
Requires docket review- Docket:
- 1-19-cv-00247
- Filed:
- 2019-02-06
Patents:8494904
One of the earlier assertions of the patent family, the current status of this case requires a detailed docket review.
Defendant
Oath Holdings Inc.
1 case as defendant.
Company profile
Oath Holdings Inc.
Oath Holdings Inc. was the legal name for the parent company of brands including AOL and Yahoo. Created in June 2017 by Verizon Communications following its acquisitions of AOL (2015, for $4.4 billion) and Yahoo's internet business (2017, for $4.48 billion), Oath was Verizon's effort to compete in the digital media and advertising technology sectors. The company was headquartered in New York City and Sunnyvale, California. In January 2019, Oath was rebranded as Verizon Media. The division was subsequently sold by Verizon to private equity firm Apollo Global Management for $5 billion in a deal that closed in September 2021. The new company now operates as Yahoo Inc., with Verizon retaining a 10% stake.
Under the Oath brand, the company operated a wide portfolio of digital media, content, and advertising technology services. Its major consumer-facing brands included Yahoo (encompassing Yahoo Mail, News, Finance, and Sports), AOL, HuffPost, TechCrunch, and Engadget. The strategy was to combine the large user bases of AOL and Yahoo—totaling nearly 900 million monthly active users at the time—with Verizon's data to create a powerful advertising platform to rival Google and Facebook. The company's services spanned online content, search, email, and a full suite of advertising and publisher tools.
The patent litigation database shows Oath Holdings Inc. as a defendant in one case and as a plaintiff in none. This 0:1 litigation profile is typical of a large operating company defending its products and services against patent assertions. The company's sole tracked case, initiated in 2019 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, was filed by AlmondNet, Inc., a company that has filed patent infringement suits against other major technology firms related to online advertising technology.
The most significant context for Oath Holdings is its formation from two pioneering internet companies, its brief existence as a distinct brand, and its subsequent rebranding and sale. The "Oath" name was retired in favor of Verizon Media in 2019, and the business was later divested by Verizon to Apollo, which revived the Yahoo brand for the entire operation. The litigation from AlmondNet reflects the patent challenges faced by major players in the competitive ad-tech industry.