Previously, iPhone 8 and iPhone 7 models sold in Germany came with a combination of Intel and Qualcomm processors. Qualcomm won a legal fight over patent infringement as part of a wider case the company is building against Apple. Indeed, a trail between the two companies will begin in San Diego this April. In order to continue selling the devices and to comply with the patent infringement ruling, Apple has ditched Intel processors. All iPhone 8 and iPhone 7 handsets sold in Germany will not come with a Qualcomm processor. The company says it had “no choice”. Last year, Qualcomm started a legal pursuit against Apple in the United States. Qualcomm asks that four of Apple’s suppliers pay licensing fees for using the chip manufacturer’s intellectual properties. Qualcomm executive vice president and general counsel, Don Rosenberg, says in a statement that “[Qualcomm seeks] an order that the manufacturers comply with their obligations to pay for the intellectual property they continue to use for the benefit of Apple.”
Ongoing
Those suppliers are Foxconn, Pegatron, Wistron, and Compal. Qualcomm began suing these four companies last week, for breach of contract. According to Qualcomm, Apple instructed these companies not to pay royalties for devices they created using Qualcomm technology. Apple has responded by saying Qualcomm has actively sought a monopoly through illegal patent licensing. “Qualcomm is attempting to use injunctions against our products to try to get Apple to succumb to their extortionist demands,” Apple said in a statement to Reuters.
