A US jury arrived at an opinion that three Qualcomm patents had been violated by Apple Inc and therefore a fine of $31 million would have to be paid to the chip maker by the iPhone maker for infringement of patented technology. This is a boost for Qualcomm as the company prepares to get into another legal battle next month against the iPhone maker.
The legal suit which was filed by Qualcomm in July 2017 charged Apple with allegations of making use of patented technology of the chip maker in a number of its versions of popular iPhones. The jury of a San Diego court awarded Qualcomm the entire amount in fines that it had demanded at the beginning of the two week trial.
One of the alleged violated patents that Apple used in some of its iPhone help the smartphones to connect to the internet fast soon after the phone is switched on. Graphics processing and battery life is another area where the patents were violated. The third violation is in relation to technology that helps in shifting of traffic from a phone's apps processor to its modem and vice versa.
Compared to the huge cash pile that Apple sits on, the $31 million in fine is a very small amount according to experts. Apple surpassed the $1 trilion mark in market value for a brief period of time last year. The fine however is an important legal victory for Qualcomm because it further enhances its brand image as an innovator of mobile components. The verdict also gives credible evidence to claims by Qualcomm that most of its patented technologies and its innovations help to better the iPhones
This verdict come week before the two companies are set to engage in an expected high pitched legal battle, set to begin next month, in San Diego. Billions of dollars are potentially involved in that battle which is in relation to disputes over patent loyalties demanded by Qualcomm from Apple. It is also viewed to be the epitome of the wide-ranging legal wars between the two companies.
The series of legal battles between Apple and Qualcomm initiated about two years ago when the chip maker was accused of being a monopoly power in modem chips by the Federal Trade Commission along with aid from Apple and Intel. The allegation against Qualcomm as placed by FTC was that the high rates of loyalties issued by the chip maker prevented competitors of from entering the market and increased the price of phones. The trial in that case started in January and a verdict is awaited.
The trial next month will examine Qualcomm's licensing business, too.
The decision of the jury was applauded by Qualcomm general counsel Don Rosenberg.
"Today's unanimous jury verdict is the latest victory in our worldwide patent litigation directed at holding Apple accountable for using our valuable technologies without paying for them," Rosenberg said in a statement. "The technologies invented by Qualcomm and others are what made it possible for Apple to enter the market and become so successful so quickly."
Apple said it was "disappointed" with the verdict.
"Qualcomm's ongoing campaign of patent infringement claims is nothing more than an attempt to distract from the larger issues they face with investigations into their business practices in US federal court, and around the world," a spokesman said in a statement.
(Source:www.cnet.com)
The legal suit which was filed by Qualcomm in July 2017 charged Apple with allegations of making use of patented technology of the chip maker in a number of its versions of popular iPhones. The jury of a San Diego court awarded Qualcomm the entire amount in fines that it had demanded at the beginning of the two week trial.
One of the alleged violated patents that Apple used in some of its iPhone help the smartphones to connect to the internet fast soon after the phone is switched on. Graphics processing and battery life is another area where the patents were violated. The third violation is in relation to technology that helps in shifting of traffic from a phone's apps processor to its modem and vice versa.
Compared to the huge cash pile that Apple sits on, the $31 million in fine is a very small amount according to experts. Apple surpassed the $1 trilion mark in market value for a brief period of time last year. The fine however is an important legal victory for Qualcomm because it further enhances its brand image as an innovator of mobile components. The verdict also gives credible evidence to claims by Qualcomm that most of its patented technologies and its innovations help to better the iPhones
This verdict come week before the two companies are set to engage in an expected high pitched legal battle, set to begin next month, in San Diego. Billions of dollars are potentially involved in that battle which is in relation to disputes over patent loyalties demanded by Qualcomm from Apple. It is also viewed to be the epitome of the wide-ranging legal wars between the two companies.
The series of legal battles between Apple and Qualcomm initiated about two years ago when the chip maker was accused of being a monopoly power in modem chips by the Federal Trade Commission along with aid from Apple and Intel. The allegation against Qualcomm as placed by FTC was that the high rates of loyalties issued by the chip maker prevented competitors of from entering the market and increased the price of phones. The trial in that case started in January and a verdict is awaited.
The trial next month will examine Qualcomm's licensing business, too.
The decision of the jury was applauded by Qualcomm general counsel Don Rosenberg.
"Today's unanimous jury verdict is the latest victory in our worldwide patent litigation directed at holding Apple accountable for using our valuable technologies without paying for them," Rosenberg said in a statement. "The technologies invented by Qualcomm and others are what made it possible for Apple to enter the market and become so successful so quickly."
Apple said it was "disappointed" with the verdict.
"Qualcomm's ongoing campaign of patent infringement claims is nothing more than an attempt to distract from the larger issues they face with investigations into their business practices in US federal court, and around the world," a spokesman said in a statement.
(Source:www.cnet.com)
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