The legal battle between Qualcomm and Apple continues this week. The latest update to this legal dispute revealed that Qualcomm is seeking to ban iPhone X models in the U.S.
There are three new lawsuits that stated Apple has committed infringement with 16 Qualcomm patents with the iPhone 7, iPhone 8, and iPhone X along with their Plus models. A lot of these patents covered the technology that helps improve the smartphone's battery life, while other patents focus more on smartphone technology. Qualcomm said in one case that Apple is reliant on its technology to create the Portrait Mode effect in the iPhones.
As revealed by The San Diego Union-Tribune, the lawsuits that Qualcomm has filed ask for undisclosed payments from the tech company for the supposed patent infringement. They also asked the court to order Apple to cease using the technologies. Qualcomm goes even further as it asked for the imports of iPhone X that are using the models from its rival company Intel to be banned.
This would keep the device from being sold under the T-Mobile and AT&T mobile carriers. Of course, this is unless Apple bought the modems from Qualcomm from those models. Going down to the specifics, Qualcomm referred to the latest smartphone's multi-tasking interface. Qualcomm also pointed out the similarities the interface that webOS used to utilize. Apparently, Qualcomm claimed ownership of patents that covered the previously mentioned interface, along with other technology that was first developed at Palm.
Qualcomm wrote in one of their lawsuits that all the Palm inventions which they own have significantly improved the functionality of smartphones and the user experience. All of these inventions are said to be widely found in Apple's products without license nor permission.
The company has previously filed similar claims against Apple in July, also asking for fees and a ban on iPhones. However this week, Qualcomm is updating those claims to include the iPhone X in its ban, which was not yet released to the public when the legal dispute started. Qualcomm issued the filings a day ago, following the report that Apple filed their own patent infringement lawsuit against the major chip supplier.
The Verge reached out to Qualcomm to comment on Apple's lawsuit, but they only referred to their own filings. The same happened when Apple was asked to comment.
This legal battle first began earlier this year, after Qualcomm was accused of anti-competitive behavior by the Federal Trade Commission. Apple then filed a lawsuit with similar claims, and it has since continued to make such claims in several courts in the world. Qualcomm retaliated and everyone in the tech community has been keeping tabs on their legal battle ever since.
