Qualcomm Adds Three More iPhones to Its 24 Patent Suits Against Apple
Liao Shumin
DATE:  Dec 21 2018
/ SOURCE:  yicai
Qualcomm Adds Three More iPhones to Its 24 Patent Suits Against Apple Qualcomm Adds Three More iPhones to Its 24 Patent Suits Against Apple

(Yicai Global) Dec. 21 -- US telecommunication equipment provider Qualcomm has filed (a total of) 24 lawsuits for patent infringement against US technology company and smartphone maker Apple in the Chinese market, and it has involved three of the US firm's latest iPhone models in these suits, the lawyer Qualcomm has retained to prosecute its China claims said yesterday.

Cupertino, California-based Apple's transmission of the updated IOS system to its users does not enable it to circumvent the ban and its continued sales of seven phone models referenced in the injunction are acts that violate China's civil procedural and criminal laws, Jiang Hongyi, a lawyer at Beijing-based Lexfield Law Offices and the litigator Qualcomm hired to handle the cases -- which are before a court in Fuzhou in China's southeastern Fujian province -- said in an interview with Securities Times yesterday.

The Fuzhou court provisionally banned imports and sales of seven phone models in China as it found Apple had infringed two Qualcomm patents, the San Diego-based chipmaker announced Dec. 10.

These technologies allow users to resize photos and manage apps via a touch screen.

Apple kept selling the phones in defiance of the bans and its sales in China have not met with any resistance, either. All its iPhone series are still available to Chinese consumers, the US handset maker said on Dec. 10.

Apple has taken immediate measures to ensure it understands and complies with the judgment of the Fuzhou court. It believes it is compliant, however, it said, noting the two patents involved in the case only relate to non-essential phone functions," Apple told Securities Times on Dec. 14.

Bug Fixer

Apple sent the iPhone software update to its users on Dec. 17. The latest version fixed network connection bugs and altered app interfaces.

Apple's measures cannot influence the prohibitions, Qualcomm believes.

"Apple's recent forwarding of software updates to its users is unrelated to the bans, for the updates are for iPhones already bought and used, which are not the targets of these injunctions. The prohibitions apply to newly-produced phones among the seven models on the production lines of Apple's original equipment manufacturers or those displayed for sale at Apple's retail stores, Jiang explained. 

"We obtained the target models referenced in the bans through notarized purchases at Apple's official retail store after it sent the software update and found the IOS system it carries still violates the patents," he added.

Qualcomm is seeking to widen the bans' coverage. It has included the three latest iPhone models Apple has introduced into China in some of its claims, the chipmaker noted, adding it cannot disclose more details as these cases are still under adjudication.

Editor: Ben Armour

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Keywords:   Qualcomm,Apple,Marketing Bans