Qualcomm wins ban on import of some iPhone models in China

The first-instance court in China has ruled that Apple violates two Qualcomm software patents.

Qualcomm, the largest supplier of mobile chips, is waging a large-scale legal battle with Apple. The current litigation relates to the lawsuit the Company filed with the Chinese court back in late 2017.

The preliminary court order bans the import and sale of several iPhone models in China due to the violation of two Qualcomm software patents.

The court has upheld that Apple has violated the patents related to resizing photographs and app management on a touch screen. The Chinese court ruling applies to iPhone 6S through the iPhone X.

Qualcomm believes that Apple benefits from the Company’s intellectual property while refusing to pay royalty to the rights holder.

In the market, the news has adversely affected Apple’s stock prices which dropped 2%.

Since the patents are on the software, but not micro chips per se, Apple can modify the software in order to sell, without obstacles, the smart phones in China.

However, Apple sees Qualcomm actions as a desperate attempt to ban «apple» products and accuses Qualcomm of unlawful acts. Apple also assures that all iPhone models remain available to users in China.