14 DAY TRIAL // Apple and Qualcomm have reached an agreement that will allow the Cupertino-based tech giant to restart sales of older iPhone models in Germany.
Earlier this year, the iPhone was banned in the country due to an alleged patent violation, with a court ruling requiring Apple to pull the device from its own stores and third-party retailers.
Now Apple and Qualcomm agreed on resuming sales of the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 8 in Germany as long as the models available here do not use Intel chips, but Qualcomm.
As per the Independent, Apple says it will continue the legal fight against Qualcomm, including in Germany.
“Qualcomm is attempting to use injunctions against our products to try to get Apple to succumb to their extortionist demands. In many cases they are using patents they purchased or that have nothing to do with their cellular technology to harass Apple and other industry players,” an Apple spokesperson was quoted as saying.
“To ensure all iPhone models can again be available to customers in Germany, we have no choice but to stop using Intel chips and ship our phones with Qualcomm chips in Germany. Qualcomm is working to eliminate competition by any means they can, harming consumers and stifling industry innovation along the way.”
The Chinese patent violation
Apple and Qualcomm are also arguing over possible patent violation in China. However, as compared to the alleged infringement in Germany, Apple is being accused of using a series of Qualcomm software technologies without authorization on iPhones sold in China.
A software update released by Apple earlier this year addressed the claims, and despite the court ruling, iPhones remained on sale.
Meanwhile, Apple is trying to reduce reliance on Qualcomm on the next-generation iPhones, with the company said to be looking into partnering with other companies, but also into building its own in-house chips for smartphones.