iPhone 8 Plus
iPhone 8 PlusReuters

An Israeli startup has filed a lawsuit against Apple Inc., accusing the company of copying its patented smartphone camera technology.

According to a report in the Reuters news agency, Tel Aviv-based Corephotonics Ltd. filed its patent infringement case against Apple in federal court in San Jose, California, on Monday.

Corephotonics, which has raised $50 million from several high-profile venture capital firms and other investors, says its patented dual camera technology for mobile devices was incorporated by Apple in the iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 8 Plus without its authorization.

The lawsuit says Corephotonics Chief Executive David Mendlovic approached Apple about a partnership. Apple praised the startup’s technology but refused to license it, Corephotonics said, even suggesting it could infringe the latter’s patents with little consequence.

According to the complaint, “Apple’s lead negotiator expressed contempt for Corephotonics’ patents, telling Dr. Mendlovic and others that even if Apple infringed, it would take years and millions of dollars in litigation before Apple might have to pay something.”

An Apple spokesman did not immediately return a request for comment.

Through its latest funding round in January, according to Reuters, Corephotonics raised $15 million from investors that included Samsung Ventures, electronics manufacturer Foxconn and chipmaker MediaTek Inc.

Corephotonics’ other investors include Magma VC, Amiti Ventures, Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing and Solina Chau’s Horizon Ventures, as well as flash storage maker SanDisk and Chinese telephone services provider CK Telecom.