China bans multiple iPhone models from sale

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iPhone sales are finally rebounding in China
Apple is barred from selling certain iPhones in one of its top markets.
Photo: Tim Cook/Weibo

A court in China has granted Qualcomm an injunction against Apple. The ruling bars Apple from importing and selling multiple iPhone models in China.

The order specifically bars Apple from selling the iPhone 6s, 6s Plus, 7, 7 Plus, iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and iPhone X. However, the iPhone XS, XS Max and XR should be good to go.

“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 said in a statement. “All iPhone models remain available for our customers in China. Qualcomm is asserting three patents they had never raised before, including one which has already been invalidated. We will pursue all our legal options through the courts.”

The injunctions against Apple were based on two Qualcomm patents that Apple is supposedly infringing. These include one which lets users adjust the size and appearance of photos, and one which covers the way apps are managed on a smartphone.

“We deeply value our relationships with customers, rarely resorting to the courts for assistance, but we also have an abiding belief in the need to protect intellectual property rights,” Qualcomm said in a statement. The company is upset that, “Apple continues to benefit from our intellectual property while refusing to compensate us.”

Qualcomm vs. Apple

Qualcomm and Apple have been battling since early in 2017. At present, the two companies are set to face off in court in April.

Last week, Qualcomm president Cristiano Amon said that the war between both companies will come to an end soon. “We feel like we are probably near the end of this game — we have a lot of legal milestones approaching,” Cristiano Amon told Yahoo Finance. “We see 2019 as having events that will drive resolution one way or another.”

Some companies in Apple’s supply chain have predicted that the two companies will patch things up over Qualcomm’s 5G tech, since Qualcomm is an innovator in this area.

Source: Axios

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