Apple fans will not be able to purchase some iPhone models as the battle continues.
Courtroom fights over patents, technology, and licensing do not often reach the stage where consumer choice is impacted, but in the ongoing fight between Qualcomm and Apple, sales of iPhone 7 and 8 models are now restricted in Germany.
The patent battle has been ongoing for years and relates to a number of patents widely used in mobile devices. However, the situation erupted in 2017 after Apple filed a suit against Qualcomm which alleged the latter was operating an illegal business model by way of «double-dipping» on licensing fees.
Apple claimed that Qualcomm charges a fee for each iPhone using its patents, as well as a fee for the technology itself, a business model the Cupertino, Calif.-based company considered exorbitant.
Qualcomm then brought forward a number of countersuits, some of which alleged Apple was infringing upon patents outside of their licensing deals.
The German court found in the semiconductor giant’s favor on December 20 and ruled that Apple has infringed upon Qualcomm’s power savings technology in the firm’s iPhone lineup. As a result, Apple was ordered to stop selling all infringing iPhones in the country, which includes the import and any third-party resales.
At the time of the ruling, Apple said iPhones would still be available via third-party resellers, but according to Qualcomm’s interpretation, infringing iPhones «must be recalled» from third-party sellers in the country.
