Apple Countersues Qualcomm for Patent Infringement Related to Snapdragon Chips

[MacRumors]

In the ongoing legal feud between Apple and LTE chipmaker Qualcomm, Reuters reports today that Apple has made the latest move by filing a countersuit against Qualcomm and claiming that the supplier's Snapdragon chips -- used in many Android devices -- infringe on the Cupertino company's patents.

The countersuit is Apple's retaliation against Qualcomm after the latter company sought iPhone and iPad import bans in the United States over the summer. At the time, Qualcomm alleged that Apple infringed on six Qualcomm patents related to carrier aggregation and technologies that were designed to allow iPhones to save battery life while communicating. Apple denied any of these claims and said that Qualcomm's patents were "invalid."

Apple's new countersuit further revises its answer to Qualcomm's complaint from July by adding on the accusation of patent infringement surrounding the Snapdragon chips. The filing alleges that Apple owns "at least" eight battery life patents Qualcomm has violated, related to making sure that each part of the phone's processor draws only minimum power needed to function, powering down parts of the processor when not needed, and ensuring that sleep and wake functions work better for the user.

Apple specifically says that Qualcomm's Snapdragon 800 and 820 processors -- included in Samsung and Google smartphones -- infringe on these patents, but Apple has only named Qualcomm in its counter lawsuit. The specific monetary damages Apple is looking for were not disclosed.

Apple Inc on Thursday filed a countersuit against Qualcomm Inc, alleging that Qualcomm's Snapdragon mobile phone chips that power a wide variety of Android-based devices infringe on Apple's patents, the latest development in a long-running dispute.

"Apple began seeking those patents years before Qualcomm began seeking the patents it asserts against Apple in this case," the company wrote in its complaint.

2017 has seen rebuttal after rebuttal in the Apple versus Qualcomm legal battle, kicking off in January when the FTC complained that Qualcomm had engaged in anticompetitive patent licensing practices. Soon after, Apple sued Qualcomm for $1 billion, accusing the company of charging unfair royalties for "technologies they have nothing to do with" and refusing to pay quarterly rebates. A Qualcomm countersuit followed in April, and the dispute escalated throughout the year with expanded lawsuits and claims lodged by each side.

Over the summer, Qualcomm began facing an additional lawsuit from the United States Federal Trade Commission, happening separately from the dispute with Apple but covering many of the same anticompetitive tactics that Apple claims in its own lawsuit.

Article Link: Apple Countersues Qualcomm for Patent Infringement Related to Snapdragon Chips

 

[KPandian1]

"And the money keeps rolling in from every side ... "

 

[keysofanxiety]

Just goes to show how nitty-gritty companies can be with the patent system. No doubt this is Apple being deliberately obtuse and petulant in response to Qualcomm's original lawsuit (which was flaky at best), serving to highlight that they're happy to be equally petty if push comes to shove.

Well at least it's entertaining.

 

[CB1234]

I am just worried about employees of Qualcomm. If Qualcomm end up being levied heavy fines and with Apple stopping buying from them, I hope none of the hard working employees of Qualcomm lose their jobs..

 

[skinned66]

Sauce, gander, etc.

 

[thisisnotmyname]

oh snap... dragon

 

[skinned66]

I am just worried about employees of Qualcomm. If Qualcomm end up being levied heavy fines and with Apple stopping buying from them, I hope none of the hard working employees of Qualcomm lose their jobs..

A sad outcome but well within the realm of possibility.

 

[kdarling]

Man, we should've been lawyers.

Actually, never mind. When I was living there, I had several high powered lawyer friends in NYC who all said they hated their jobs. They had become lawyers thinking they were going to change the world and help people find justice, but instead spent all their time fighting for huge corporations and filling out billing forms to make their firm money.

 

[Mirice99]

Apple the King of patent trolls strikes again, hopefully justice will prevail in favor of Qualcomm.

 

[keysofanxiety]

Apple the King of patent trolls strikes again, hopefully justice will prevail in favor of Qualcomm.

Oh brother

 

[Jsameds]

Apple the King of patent trolls strikes again, hopefully justice will prevail in favor of Qualcomm.

"patent troll"

You use that phrase, but I'm not sure you know what it means.

 

[Mirice99]

"patent troll"

You use that phrase, but I'm not sure you know what it means.

Oh I know what it means, I'm just not blinded with unwavering and.absolute loyalty to a brand like most people here who screech patent troll every time someone sues Apple while defending every lawsuit Apple starts.

 

[Jsameds]

Oh I know what it means

Sure about that?


patent troll
noun
informal, derogatory

1. a company that obtains the rights to one or more patents in order to profit by means of licensing or litigation, rather than by producing its own goods or services.

 

[cmaier]

Man, we should've been lawyers.

Actually, never mind. When I was living there, I had several high powered lawyer friends in NYC who all said they hated their jobs. They had become lawyers thinking they were going to change the world and help people find justice, but instead spent all their time fighting for huge corporations and filling out billing forms to make their firm money.

It’s not so bad. Get to become very proficient in technologies I’d never otherwise spend time looking at.

 

[AdonisSMU]

About time someone sued Qualcomm for their patent infringement. They think they can just get away with infringing on other peoples patents and double dipping while not producing anything of their own.

 

[QuarterSwede]

Just goes to show how nitty-gritty companies can be with the patent system. No doubt this is Apple being deliberately obtuse and petulant in response to Qualcomm's original lawsuit (which was flaky at best), serving to highlight that they're happy to be equally petty if push comes to shove.

Well at least it's entertaining.

Gotta get their moneys worth out of those retained lawyers.

 

[cmaier]

Oh I know what it means, I'm just not blinded with unwavering and.absolute loyalty to a brand like most people here who screech patent troll every time someone sues Apple while defending every lawsuit Apple starts.

By definition Apple can’t be a patent troll, as they sell products that use their patents.

 

[thisisnotmyname]

Man, we should've been lawyers.

Actually, never mind. When I was living there, I had several high powered lawyer friends in NYC who all said they hated their jobs. They had become lawyers thinking they were going to change the world and help people find justice, but instead spent all their time fighting for huge corporations and filling out billing forms to make their firm money.

There's also a glut of lawyers today with some even using their newly acquired skills to sue the law schools that sold them the education they aren't able to find employment within. Law schools are big profit centers for a lot of universities so they have incentives to keep cranking out the JDs despite the market being saturated.

 

[.Joel]

Apple the King of patent trolls strikes again, hopefully justice will prevail in favor of Qualcomm.

 

[cmaier]

Gotta get their moneys worth out of those retained lawyers.

Patent lawyers are not on retainer. They charge by the hour, and are among the most expensive since many have advanced technical degrees.

 

[mainomega]

Apple the King of patent trolls strikes again, hopefully justice will prevail in favor of Qualcomm.

LOL. This dude has no idea.

 

[QuarterSwede]

Patent lawyers are not on retainer. They charge by the hour, and are among the most expensive since many have advanced technical degrees.

None of them work for anyone outright?

 

[cmaier]

None of them work for anyone outright?

Apple has a small team of in-house patent litigators who manage outside counsel, which is generally what all big companies do. Small companies simply have the ceo or gc manage them. Some companies have patent attorneys who create patents.

Patent litigators will sometimes take cases on contingency, but mostly for non practicing entities. I’ve never heard of patent litigators being on retainer, though. It wouldn’t make economic sense.

 

[Mirice99]

Sure about that?


patent troll
noun
informal, derogatory

1. a company that obtains the rights to one or more patents in order to profit by means of licensing or litigation, rather than by producing its own goods or services.

Apple is trolling over patents that should never have been issued and abusing those patents once again to stifle competition.

"Powering down a core when it's not used" people like you would be screeching with rage and crying patent troll if someone sued Apple of something so trivial and asinine.

 

[Archer1440]

Fly, meet windshield. This will not end well for Qualcomm, a company which started with true innovation and has clearly lost its way.

Meanwhile the lawyers bank it away.