The company said the AirPods, Bose 700, and other Bluetooth headphones are copying features from the Koss Strive family of wireless audio devices that work over Wi-Fi. The company wants compensation for the industry choosing to take advantage of its work, which Koss began in the early 2000s.

The firm claims it would be a major player in wireless headphones if it weren’t for market and manufacturing shocks that prevented Strive from launching its products earlier and reaching a wider audience. Companies suspected of infringing rights were also notified of violations before lawsuits were filed, although the dates of these notices varied. Koss says it warned Apple back in 2017, but Bose only learned of the claims on July 9, a few days before the lawsuit was filed.

It is noteworthy that Koss is not asking the court to stop selling the headphones that are mentioned in the lawsuits. Instead, the company has focused on monetary compensation and is demanding that competitors pay three times the damages, which will be determined by a court or jury.

Koss will have a hard time getting what he wants. In fact, the company claims to own the modern concept of fully wireless earbuds, with the five major players in the field copying the Strive formula rather than developing their products themselves. The company chose to sue the most successful and wealthy brands, rather than those who introduced their products before. For example, Bragi introduced the Dash earbuds in early 2014 and brought them to market a few months before the AirPods launch.