Litigation

Voxer, Inc. et al. v. Amazon.com, Inc. et al.

active

1:2025cv00872

Filed
2025-07-14

Patents at issue (1)

11777883PTAB challenge active

Summary

This case is active with a scheduling order filed on January 8, 2026, setting deadlines for joinder by September 7, 2026, fact discovery by November 4, 2027, and a five-day jury trial for November 27, 2028. A Markman Hearing is set for April 8, 2027.

Case overview & background

Plain-language overview of the case: parties, accused product, patents at issue, and why the suit matters.

This patent infringement litigation, Voxer, Inc. et al. v. Amazon.com, Inc. et al., involves plaintiffs Voxer, Inc. and its subsidiary Voxer IP LLC, asserting patent infringement against Amazon.com, Inc., Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS), and Twitch Interactive, Inc. Voxer, Inc. is a Dallas/San Francisco-based mobile app development company known for its Walkie-Talkie app, which provides real-time voice messaging and communication tools for teams and individuals. Voxer IP LLC is the legal owner of the asserted patents and a wholly owned subsidiary of Voxer, Inc., indicating a strategy of active patent monetization by an operating company. The defendants, Amazon.com, Inc. and its subsidiaries AWS and Twitch, are global technology giants. Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational technology company focused on e-commerce, cloud computing, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence. AWS is Amazon's cloud computing arm, providing on-demand cloud platforms and APIs, while Twitch Interactive, Inc. operates a widely-used live video streaming platform, particularly prominent for gaming and other real-time content. The accused products and services are Amazon's "systems, devices, and servers used for streaming video services," with a specific focus on the Twitch.tv platform. Voxer alleges that Amazon leverages its patented innovations to "receive, store, and stream high-quality video more efficiently, more effectively, and more scalably to millions of users" via Twitch.

The primary patent at issue is U.S. Patent No. 11,777,883, which broadly covers a "Telecommunication and multimedia management method and apparatus." This patent describes systems and methods that support voice and other media communications, enabling users to participate in various conversation modes (live calls, instant messaging), review messages in live or time-shifted modes, participate in multiple conversations concurrently, archive messages, and persistently store media on communication devices. The case is being litigated in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware before Judge Gregory B. Williams. The District of Delaware is a prominent venue for patent litigation, largely because a significant majority of Fortune 500 companies are incorporated there, establishing proper venue following the TC Heartland Supreme Court decision. The court is favored for its experienced patent judges who possess deep knowledge of patent law, provide predictable litigation timelines, and are adept at handling complex technical issues, including early rulings on Section 101 patent eligibility challenges.

This litigation is notable for several reasons. It represents a significant patent assertion campaign by Voxer, which previously secured a substantial $206 million jury verdict and ongoing royalties against Meta Platforms (Facebook and Instagram Live) for similar live messaging and store-and-stream technologies. In that prior case, the asserted patents, some of which are likely also involved in the Amazon suit, withstood inter partes review challenges (where institution was denied) and ex parte reexaminations by the USPTO, bolstering Voxer's claims of patent validity and eligibility. The current lawsuit against Amazon, alongside a parallel case against Alphabet (Google/YouTube), indicates a concerted effort by Voxer to enforce its patent portfolio across major media streaming platforms, leveraging its prior litigation success and the upheld validity of its patents. The case thus highlights ongoing challenges for major tech companies regarding foundational multimedia communication patents and the increasing trend of operating companies vigorously defending and monetizing their intellectual property.

Key legal developments & outcome

Major rulings, motions, claim construction, settlements, and the present posture or final disposition.

Key Legal Developments and Outcome for Voxer, Inc. et al. v. Amazon.com, Inc. et al.

This patent infringement lawsuit, filed by Voxer, Inc. and Voxer IP LLC against Amazon.com, Inc., Amazon Web Services, Inc., and Twitch Interactive, Inc., is active in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware. The case involves alleged infringement of U.S. Patent No. 11,777,883.

Chronological Developments:

  • 2025-07-14: Complaint Filed
    Voxer, Inc. and Voxer IP LLC initiated the lawsuit by filing their complaint for patent infringement against Amazon.com, Inc., Amazon Web Services, Inc., and Twitch Interactive, Inc., asserting U.S. Patent No. 11,777,883. The plaintiffs are seeking damages and a permanent injunction. This is not Voxer's first patent dispute; it previously secured a $206 million award against Meta (formerly Facebook) for infringement of related patents, which later settled on appeal. According to Voxer, Amazon was aware of the asserted patents by at least 2018.
  • 2026-01-08: Scheduling Order Issued
    Judge Gregory B. Williams issued a comprehensive scheduling order (Docket Entry 29) outlining key deadlines for the litigation.
    • Discovery: Joinder of parties is due by September 7, 2026, and fact discovery is set to be completed by November 4, 2027. Opening expert reports are due by December 1, 2027, with rebuttal reports by January 26, 2028, and reply reports by February 23, 2028. Expert discovery concludes by April 5, 2028.
    • Claim Construction Briefing: Claim construction opening briefs are due by January 7, 2027, answering briefs by December 10, 2026, and reply briefs by January 7, 2027. A claim construction sur-reply brief is due by January 28, 2027, followed by a joint claim construction brief by February 11, 2027.
    • Markman Hearing: A Markman Hearing is scheduled for April 8, 2027, at 2:00 PM in Courtroom 6B.
    • Dispositive Motions: Dispositive motions are due by May 4, 2028.
    • Trial: A five-day jury trial is scheduled to begin on November 27, 2028, at 9:30 AM in Courtroom 6B, with a final pretrial conference set for November 21, 2028.

Pre-Trial Motions of Substance:

As of the current date (July 14, 2026), publicly available information does not indicate any substantive pre-trial motions to dismiss, transfer, or stay pending IPR have been decided. The case is proceeding according to the established scheduling order.

Claim Construction (Markman) Outcomes:

The Markman Hearing is scheduled for April 8, 2027. Therefore, there are no claim construction outcomes to report yet.

Discovery Milestones with Strategic Significance:

The scheduling order dictates specific deadlines for discovery, with fact discovery to be completed by November 4, 2027, and expert discovery by April 5, 2028. These deadlines are significant in structuring the evidence-gathering phase of the litigation.

Trial Events, Verdict, and Post-Trial Motions:

The five-day jury trial is scheduled for November 27, 2028. No trial events, verdicts, or post-trial motions have occurred as of the current date.

Final Disposition or Present Posture:

The case is active and in the pre-trial phase, with significant milestones, including the Markman hearing and trial, scheduled for 2027 and 2028, respectively. There has been no settlement, dismissal, or final judgment.

Parallel PTAB IPR/PGR Proceedings:

While two of the five patents originally asserted by Voxer against Meta (a previous unrelated case) faced IPR petitions that were denied institution, and ex parte reexamination requests that upheld their validity, current public searches do not reveal any active or concluded Inter Partes Review (IPR) or Post-Grant Review (PGR) proceedings specifically challenging U.S. Patent No. 11,777,883 by Amazon or other parties related to this specific litigation. The lack of instituted IPRs against the asserted patent is a strategic advantage for the patent owner, as it removes a common avenue for challenging patent validity outside of district court.## Key Legal Developments and Outcome for Voxer, Inc. et al. v. Amazon.com, Inc. et al.

This patent infringement lawsuit, filed by Voxer, Inc. and Voxer IP LLC against Amazon.com, Inc., Amazon Web Services, Inc., and Twitch Interactive, Inc., is active in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware. The case involves alleged infringement of U.S. Patent No. 11,777,883.

Chronological Developments:

  • 2025-07-14: Complaint Filed
    Voxer, Inc. and Voxer IP LLC initiated the lawsuit by filing their complaint for patent infringement against Amazon.com, Inc., Amazon Web Services, Inc., and Twitch Interactive, Inc., asserting U.S. Patent No. 11,777,883. The plaintiffs are seeking damages and a permanent injunction. This is not Voxer's first patent dispute; it previously secured a $206 million award against Meta (formerly Facebook) for infringement of related patents, which later settled on appeal. According to Voxer, Amazon was aware of the asserted patents by at least 2018.

  • 2026-01-08: Scheduling Order Issued
    Judge Gregory B. Williams issued a comprehensive scheduling order (Docket Entry 29) outlining key deadlines for the litigation.

    • Discovery: Joinder of parties is due by September 7, 2026, and fact discovery is set to be completed by November 4, 2027. Opening expert reports are due by December 1, 2027, with rebuttal reports by January 26, 2028, and reply reports by February 23, 2028. Expert discovery concludes by April 5, 2028.
    • Claim Construction Briefing: Claim construction opening briefs are due by January 7, 2027, answering briefs by December 10, 2026, and reply briefs by January 7, 2027. A claim construction sur-reply brief is due by January 28, 2027, followed by a joint claim construction brief by February 11, 2027.
    • Markman Hearing: A Markman Hearing is scheduled for April 8, 2027, at 2:00 PM in Courtroom 6B.
    • Dispositive Motions: Dispositive motions are due by May 4, 2028.
    • Trial: A five-day jury trial is scheduled to begin on November 27, 2028, at 9:30 AM in Courtroom 6B, with a final pretrial conference set for November 21, 2028.

Pre-Trial Motions of Substance:

As of the current date (July 14, 2026), publicly available information does not indicate any substantive pre-trial motions to dismiss, transfer, or stay pending IPR have been decided. The case is proceeding according to the established scheduling order.

Claim Construction (Markman) Outcomes:

The Markman Hearing is scheduled for April 8, 2027. Therefore, there are no claim construction outcomes to report yet.

Discovery Milestones with Strategic Significance:

The scheduling order dictates specific deadlines for discovery, with fact discovery to be completed by November 4, 2027, and expert discovery by April 5, 2028. These deadlines are significant in structuring the evidence-gathering phase of the litigation.

Trial Events, Verdict, and Post-Trial Motions:

The five-day jury trial is scheduled for November 27, 2028. No trial events, verdicts, or post-trial motions have occurred as of the current date.

Final Disposition or Present Posture:

The case is active and in the pre-trial phase, with significant milestones, including the Markman hearing and trial, scheduled for 2027 and 2028, respectively. There has been no settlement, dismissal, or final judgment.

Parallel PTAB IPR/PGR Proceedings:

While two of the five patents originally asserted by Voxer against Meta (in an unrelated case) faced IPR petitions that were denied institution, and ex parte reexamination requests that upheld their validity, current public searches do not reveal any active or concluded Inter Partes Review (IPR) or Post-Grant Review (PGR) proceedings specifically challenging U.S. Patent No. 11,777,883 by Amazon or other parties related to this specific litigation. The lack of instituted IPRs against the asserted patent is a strategic advantage for the patent owner, as it removes a common avenue for challenging patent validity outside of district court.

In the news

What the press has reported about this case, summarized with links to the source articles.

News outlets have extensively covered the patent infringement lawsuit filed by Voxer, Inc. and Voxer IP LLC against Amazon.com, Inc., Amazon Web Services, Inc., and Twitch Interactive, Inc. The case was filed in the District of Delaware on July 14, 2025. Several publications, including ip fray and RPX Empower, highlighted that Voxer is asserting five patents broadly related to video communications over a network, and is seeking both damages and a permanent injunction. Notably, two of these patents were previously asserted in Voxer's successful litigation against Meta Platforms (Facebook and Instagram Live).

The significance of this lawsuit is frequently tied to Voxer's prior victory against Meta. ip fray reported that Voxer was awarded $206 million in damages and ongoing royalties against Meta in July 2023, a verdict that was subsequently upheld despite Meta's appeal, leading to a settlement less than six months later. Several outlets, including Engadget, MediaPost, and the China Intellectual Property Lawyers Network, reported the initial jury verdict as $174.5 million or $175 million. This prior success, and the fact that the patents withstood inter partes review and ex parte reexaminations by the USPTO, is presented by Voxer as confirmation of their patentable subject matter, a point highlighted by ip fray.

Voxer alleges that Amazon was aware of the patents by at least 2018, and had notice of the two patents previously enforced against Meta due to their public accessibility and widespread publicity within the industry. The lawsuit claims that Amazon has benefited and continues to benefit from Voxer's innovations, which enable Twitch to "receive, store, and stream high-quality video more efficiently, more effectively, and more scalably to millions of users," and that Amazon is deriving revenue from this alleged infringement. RPX Empower further noted that this lawsuit, along with a parallel case against Alphabet (Google/YouTube), indicates a broader strategy by Voxer to enforce its patent portfolio across major media streaming platforms.

While the case is active with a trial set for November 27, 2028, according to Justia Dockets, there are no reported damages awarded or settlements yet in the Voxer v. Amazon case itself. The existing news coverage primarily focuses on the filing of the lawsuit and drawing parallels to Voxer's successful litigation against Meta. There is no indication of differing accounts regarding the core facts of the lawsuit in the press coverage, but the reporting does emphasize Voxer's strategic approach to patent enforcement.

Sources

Plaintiff representatives

Counsel of record for the plaintiff(s): attorneys, firms, and roles (lead counsel, of counsel, local counsel).

Voxer, Inc. and Voxer IP LLC are represented by a team of attorneys from Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP and local counsel from Stamoulis & Weinblatt LLC and Farnan LLP.

Here's a breakdown of the identified counsel:

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP (Lead Counsel)

  • Steven D. Maslowski - Partner (Philadelphia, PA office).
    • Leads complex patent cases in federal district courts, the ITC, and PTAB.
  • Cono A. Carrano - Partner (Washington, D.C. office).
    • Focuses on patent litigation with a background in electrical engineering.
  • Rachel J. Elsby - Partner (Washington, D.C. office).
    • Experienced in patent litigation across various technologies.
  • Michael P. Kahn - Partner (New York, NY office).
    • Litigates complex patent cases and has a strong background in intellectual property.
  • Daniel L. Moffett - Partner (San Antonio, TX office).
    • Involved in patent litigation with a focus on high-stakes disputes.
  • Matthew Pearson - Partner (Philadelphia, PA office).
    • Specializes in biopharma patent litigation and is an adjunct professor of patent litigation at the University of Pennsylvania Law School.
  • Thomas W. Landers IV - Counsel (Washington, D.C. office).
    • Focuses on complex patent litigation and IP counseling in various technologies, including biotechnology and telecommunications.

Stamoulis & Weinblatt LLC (Local Counsel)

  • Stamatios Stamoulis - Partner (Wilmington, DE office).
    • Has over 20 years of experience in intellectual property and complex commercial law matters, including patent infringement cases in the District of Delaware and other districts. Recognized as an "IP Star" by Managing Intellectual Property.
  • Richard C. Weinblatt - Partner (Wilmington, DE office).
    • A registered patent agent since 2000 with a practice focused on patent litigation and appellate work, including arguing numerous appeals before the Federal Circuit.

Farnan LLP (Local Counsel)

  • Joseph J. Farnan Jr. - Partner (Wilmington, DE office).
    • Former U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Delaware, his practice focuses on complex commercial matters and patent litigation.
  • Brian E. Farnan - Partner (Wilmington, DE office).
    • Has tried numerous jury and bench trials in Delaware's federal and state courts, focusing on complex litigation, including patent and trade secret cases.
  • Michael J. Farnan - Partner (Wilmington, DE office).
    • Regularly appears in Delaware's federal and state courts for plaintiffs in patent, antitrust, and other complex cases.
  • Joseph J. Farnan, III - Attorney (Wilmington, DE office).
    • Represents clients in personal injury and wrongful death actions but is listed with the firm which is providing local counsel in this patent case.

Defendant representatives

Counsel of record for the defendant(s): attorneys, firms, and roles (lead counsel, of counsel, local counsel).

The defendant entities, Amazon.com, Inc., Amazon Web Services, Inc., and Twitch Interactive, Inc., are represented by counsel from Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP.

Counsel of Record for Defendant(s):

  • Name: Jennifer Ying
    • Role: Lead Counsel (indicated by her representation of all defendants on the docket and her firm's profile).
    • Firm: Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP
    • Office Location: Wilmington, Delaware
    • Relevant Experience: Jennifer Ying is an experienced litigator specializing in patent, trademark, and trade secret disputes in federal and state courts. She possesses a technical background in electrical engineering and computer science, which she frequently leverages in her patent litigation practice. She has experience managing all phases of litigation, from initial filings through trial and appeal, serving in both lead and co-counsel capacities. She has been recognized by legal publications such as Chambers USA, IAM Patent 1000, and Managing Intellectual Property for her work. Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP is noted for its leading Intellectual Property Litigation practice, particularly in the District of Delaware.