Qualcomm says that it has filed the same patent lawsuit against the three new Apple iPhone models, which it used to get the older models banned in the country.
US-based chipmaker Qualcomm is now trying to get the 2018 iPhone lineup (iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR) banned in China. According to a report by Rappler.com (via The Financial Times), the company has filed the same patent infringement lawsuit that got the older generation iPhones banned in the country.
A few days ago, a Chinese court banned the import and sale of select Apple iPhones, including the iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X. The injunctions were based based on an alleged patent infringement relating to photo manipulation and touchscreen apps. The new lawsuits were filed in courts in Beijing, Qingdao and Guangzhou. “We plan to use the same patents to file suit against the 3 new iPhone models,” Jiang Hongyi, the lawyer representing Qualcomm, was quoted as saying.
China, Hong Kong and Taiwan are Apple’s third-largest market, accounting for about one-fifth of Apple’s $265.6 billion in sales in its most recent fiscal year, says Reuters. Rappler's report also notes that Apple has not complied with the ban, and is continuing with the import and sale of the banned iPhone models, citing that the injunction only applies to phones running on iOS 11. The Cupertino-based giant has reportedly argued that the banned phones have already been updated to iOS 12.
Apple also said that it has filed a request for reconsideration with the court ban. “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,” Apple was quoted as saying. The latest development is a part of numerous lawsuits that Qualcomm has filed against Apple accusing it of engaging in unlawful import and sale of iPhones in the US.
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