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Apple vs. Qualcomm Escalates, Manufacturers Join in, Lawsuits Filed in California and Germany

posted by martyb on Thursday July 20 2017, @02:43AM   Printer-friendly
from the is-bundling-ever-a-good-thing? dept.

takyon writes:

Companies manufacturing iPhones for Apple have filed lawsuits against Qualcomm Inc., as Qualcomm has filed new patent suits against Apple in the EU:

Apple Inc. and its Asian contract manufacturers are hitting back at Qualcomm Inc. with legal claims that try to undermine the chipmaker's attempt to force them to pay licensing fees.

Qualcomm is asking for payments in excess of what it would normally receive, Apple, Compal Electronics Inc., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. and others said early Wednesday in court filings. If successful, the counter-claims could cost Qualcomm billions of dollars in refunded fees and damages, Apple said.

Also Wednesday, Qualcomm said it had filed two new patent-infringement suits against Apple, this time in Germany. The patents, for ways to transmit information without draining battery life, are the European counterparts to those that are part of a case Qualcomm filed with a trade agency in Washington seeking to halt imports of Apple products into the U.S. market.

The filings, in California as well as Germany, represent the latest escalation in the dispute between Apple and Qualcomm over fees the San Diego-based company charges on all modern phones, even if the device doesn't have one of its chips. That revenue stream has made it one of the richest companies in the industry.

Also at ITWorld, The Register, and 9to5Mac.

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  • (Score: 2) by arslan on Thursday July 20 2017, @03:31AM (2 children)

    by arslan (3462) on Thursday July 20 2017, @03:31AM (#541779)

    Is this a rare examples of when patents system is useful, not necessarily align to its original intent/spirit, where business can protect themselves from other businesses going on a patent troll rampage?

    Just from TFS, without RTFA, Qualcomm looks like the greedy kid on the street here...

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  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by radu on Thursday July 20 2017, @06:08AM

    by radu (1919) on Thursday July 20 2017, @06:08AM (#541830)

    Qualcomm looks like the greedy kid

    Next time they'll change roles and the other one will look like the greedy kid. Doesn't matter who of them "wins". It's us, the consumers, who are paying the lawyers all over again. Repeat endlessly.

    rare examples of when patents system is useful

    Really?

  • (Score: 2) by RamiK on Thursday July 20 2017, @06:39AM

    by RamiK (1813) on Thursday July 20 2017, @06:39AM (#541835)

    Is this a rare examples

    No. Unless the problem is lawyers not finding work, patents serving to deter patent litigation is as useful as amputating one's feet to rid oneself of the inconvenience of lacing one's shoes.

    Might as well defend the protection racket on account it deters others from extorting you for their protection.

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