We already know about the ongoing battle between Qualcomm and Apple. Qualcomm today announced that Fuzhou Intermediate People’s Court in China has granted two preliminary injunctions against four Chinese subsidiaries of Apple Inc., ordering them to immediately cease infringing upon two Qualcomm patents through the unlicensed importation, sale and offers for sale in China of the iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X. This doesn’t apply to new iPhone XS, XS Max and XR.
The patents enable consumers to adjust and reformat the size and appearance of photographs, and to manage applications using a touch screen when viewing, navigating and dismissing applications on their phones, said Qualcomm.
It added that actions seeking similar relief for Apple’s infringement of other Qualcomm patents are pending in China and other jurisdictions around the world.
Don Rosenberg, executive vice president and general counsel, Qualcomm Incorporated, said:
We deeply value our relationships with customers, rarely resorting to the courts for assistance, but we also have an abiding belief in the need to protect intellectual property rights. Apple continues to benefit from our intellectual property while refusing to compensate us. These Court orders are further confirmation of the strength of Qualcomm’s vast patent portfolio.
However, Apple said that all iPhone models remain available for customers in China, saying that ruling does not apply to iPhones running iOS 12. In a statement, Apple said:
Qualcomm’s effort to ban our products is another desperate move by a company whose illegal practices are under investigation by regulators around the world. All iPhone models remain available for our customers in China. Qualcomm is asserting three patents they had never raised before, including one which has already been invalidated. We will pursue all our legal options through the courts.