Apple Pulls iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 Models From Sale in Germany Amid Legal Battle With Qualcomm

[oneMadRssn]

Being in breach of a patent is nothing more than theft of intellectual property. Theft is theft no matter how small and seemingly insignificant. Apple pursues patent breaches just as vigorously in the reverse and is often on the side of these things so can't really cry and complain when it doesn't go their way.

And really, I'd behave a little pissy too if someone didn't pay a $1,000,000,000 royalty bill.

Neither company is a good guy here. Apple has been thumbing their nose at courts all over the world for a long time now, ignoring orders and really testing the extent to which they can delay and refuse compliance.

Qualcomm definitely abused their IP and is just pissy they don't have a psudo monopoly in RF anymore. They've also been known to royally rip off smaller companies that simply couldn't afford to fight them in court.

This is a problem that really extends to all the big tech companies: Amazon and Google included. They're getting too big. It's nearly nothing for them to throw a $10mil budget at a bluechip law firm or two and tell them to frustrate, stall, and delay by any means necessary. On top of that, at least Apple has been making the argument in the US that they're too big and too important to enjoin, and at least one judge has bought the argument. That's crazy!

I have little faith it will happen, but we need some regulators with balls to break up these companies. At least Apple, Google, and Amazon need to be broken up into smaller companies.

 

[deebinem]

Apple must die? Just don’t buy their products, then.

It's Macrumors! You know there's a penchant for the dramatic in here.

 

[timber]

Welcome to commerce. There has always been cheap & luxury, and certain things more expensive than the others. If someone wants to sell something for a certain amount and the buyer agrees to that price, then so be it. It's not "mind boggling." If anything, the odd thing is how passionate people get about how others spend their own money. If it's too expensive for you to justify, then don't buy it, and if someone else can justify it, that's their business.

People on these boards constantly pull out their hair in outrage over Apple's prices as if they are somehow compelled to buy the products or MUST have this year's latest model. It's just plain bizarre, as if their current devices somehow vanish or they can't leave the house without a new model, or somehow they are entitled to things at a price they want even if the rest of the world is willing to pay more.

Yeah, a bunch of platitudes. Supply meets demand, who would have guessed that.

I don't care how anyone spends their money. Well, assuming they don't prevent me from doing what I want to, I don't care about anything anybody does.

What I do care about are products I love to use, like Apple's products (among others) and therefore I wish a long term success for those who provide the stuff I like. It is a bit selfish. For example I don't really care about Huawei or "insert meaningless company".

 

[kruegdude]

Silver lining? Maybe more Germans will buy R's, S's, and Max's.

That and Apple getting $1.5 billion when Apple successfully appeals the verdict.

 

[69Mustang]

That and Apple getting $1.5 billion when Apple successfully appeals the verdict.

Honestly, unless there's some tangible benefit for consumers -like lower pricing, I don't care who wins. Two mega corps fighting over who's going to pay whom more money interests me intellectually, but from a practical standpoint... meh.

 

[kruegdude]

Honestly, unless there's some tangible benefit for consumers -like lower pricing, I don't care who wins. Two mega corps fighting over who's going to pay whom more money interests me intellectually, but from a practical standpoint... meh.

Then I must have misunderstood your post that I replied to that showed a benefit to Apple by them selling more current generation devices. My bad.

 

[one more]

Silver lining? Maybe more Germans will buy R's, S's, and Max's.

Would not bet on it, as Android is more dominant in Germany:

https://deviceatlas.com/blog/android-v-ios-market-share#germany

However, nothing prevents Germans from picking an iPhone 7 or 8 from any neighbouring country.

 

[omihek]

Plot twist! Apple and Qualcomm are secretly working together to boost Xs, Xs Max, and Xr sales.

 

[69Mustang]

Then I must have misunderstood your post that I replied to that showed a benefit to Apple by them selling more current generation devices. My bad.

No you didn't misunderstand and not your bad. I just stated it could benefit Apple's flagship sales. It wasn't a declaration of like or dislike of Apple. It was just a statement of a possible outcome. I just like certain Apple products. Brands don't mean much to me beyond how the products they represent fit into my routines. I can recognize the good, bad, and the ugly of Apple (or any company) without being emotionally invested. So you're all good.

 

[laz232]

I'll never understand how iPhone sales are banned, but the court couldn't decide on whether the Samsung Galaxy was an iPhone rip off or not.

IIRC Samsung lawsuit was about trade-dress. This is a patent suit.
Very different law cases

 

[gnasher729]

That and Apple getting $1.5 billion when Apple successfully appeals the verdict.

The damaged caused when Apple successfully appeals. $1.5bn is the maximum the judge thought possible. So the longer it takes, the more it costs.

If Apple is confident, they should give every new customer an XR for the price of a 7/8 if they sign that they wanted a 7/8 and were absolutely not willing to pay the price for an XR. Result: lots of sales and Qualcomm pays for it.

 

[testcard]

I hate to be picky, but the convention is usually ‘Before’ followed by ‘After.’

 

[Shiro_Simba]

Silver lining? Maybe more Germans will buy R's, S's, and Max's.

If apple drops the price

Sadly EU pricing is painful
[doublepost=1546629521][/doublepost]Did not expect this to happen so fast .

It’s a crap start to 2019 for Apple .

If the throttle lawsuits get traction, this is not going to be a year being CEO means travelling the world and spreading SJW messages , time to bunker down in HQ .

Apple is not doomed in any way , though they face hurdles , as investeors are going to start turning on them, as we already see in lawsuit actions - very petty.

 

[gim]

Silver lining? Maybe more Germans will buy R's, S's, and Max's.

Not happening. iPhone prices in Germany are even more ridiculous than in the U.S.
I know, I know, sales tax, not Apple's fault.

Thing is, devices from other brands are reasonably priced. A Galaxy S9 costs half of what an XS costs right now, and that's not even a special deal, just standard pricing.

 

[simonmet]

What’s a Qualcomm?

For a start they make cellular modems which are more capable and many prefer over the Intel equivalent Apple is now using. Pretty crucial chipset for a phone.

 

[Victor Mortimer]

What’s a Qualcomm?

They used to sell the greatest email client in history, Eudora.

These days, they're pretty much just a patent troll.

 

[I7guy]

...
If the throttle lawsuits get traction, this is not going to be a year being CEO means travelling the world and spreading SJW messages , time to bunker down in HQ...

It’s exactly the time for the ceo to get out and spreading the message, let the corporate attorneys and outside counsel handle the legal matters. Apple is used to dealing with 60 to 100 lawsuits at a time.

 

[kruegdude]

For a start they make cellular modems which are more capable and many prefer over the Intel equivalent Apple is now using. Pretty crucial chipset for a phone.

I am absolutely head over heals in love with my Intel modem in my XS. It’s almost obscene how much in love I am with this modem. You’re going to have to pry it from my cold dead hands. That’s how much in love I am ... with a modem ... from Intel ... because I care about chipsets so much.

 

[Bacillus]

Surprise: the lineup gets rationalised and the Premium proposition reinforced
[doublepost=1546640511][/doublepost]

I am absolutely head over heals in love with my Intel modem in my XS. It’s almost obscene how much in love I am with this modem. You’re going to have to pry it from my cold dead hands. That’s how much in love I am ... with a modem ... from Intel ... because I care about chipsets so much.

You’re not alone. Modem porn is definitely making inroads...

 

[dampfnudel]

Well, as long as they don’t have to pull the Xs, Xs Plus & Xr, but not having a lower priced iPhone for more “price-aware” Germans which probably accounts for the vast majority, this ban will hurt Apple there for sure.

 

[iMEric984]

They shouldn’t be selling iPhone 7 in 2019 to begin with.
This is the issue,iPhone selling model in Jobs area was different and much more fair..
every year they released 2 models and these would replace last model for the same price.and the old model would be discontinued..

Thats how many “premium” brands work,they release few models and replace old model.

now days Apple keeps selling few years old phones,so that they can get away with jacking up the new models price significantly every time.

This business model is very unfair to the customer.
but we can see how it’s coming back and bite them hard now.

Thats the result greed for them.

How is it unfair to offer multiple models at LOWER prices than the newest and greatest.
I’d say that’s the opposite of greed. Apple still sells brand new iPhone 7 and 8 generations which are still fantastic phones even today, starting at $449. If people don’t want to pay the premium for the newest, and obviously more expensive, they can still get a great phone for much cheaper.

News flash. Apple isn’t forcing anyone at gunpoint to spend $1000 on a new iPhone. If you’re unhappy with their prices, shop elsewhere.

 

[ggibson913]

First, Apple ignores royalties. Then they mock the manufacturer as doing "desperate attempts".

They didn't ignore the royalties, as I understand it the initial contract between Apple and Qualcomm expired. Apple chose to go with Intel modems rather than Qualcomm's so as not to pay the even higher royalties that Qualcomm wanted. So according to Qualcomm, Apple can't do that because they essentially own the patent to every smartphone in existence which is a ludicrous assertion.

 

[gvanvoor]

I was about to say. The lineup does look like it's been simplified a lot in the After picture... only thing missing is a smaller/less expensive version of the X.

You mean an X version of the SE ? I wouldn't mind that. Don't even care if they put the X before or after the SE.

 

[MacRazySwe]

Apple will be forced to lower prices.

...And Apple have just lowered prices for Chinese retailers. Will be interesting to see if this will extend to Germany soon.

 

[OlliFlamme]

They shouldn’t be selling iPhone 7 in 2019 to begin with.
This is the issue,iPhone selling model in Jobs area was different and much more fair..
every year they released 2 models and these would replace last model for the same price.and the old model would be discontinued..

Thats how many “premium” brands work,they release few models and replace old model.

now days Apple keeps selling few years old phones,so that they can get away with jacking up the new models price significantly every time.

This business model is very unfair to the customer.
but we can see how it’s coming back and bite them hard now.

Thats the result greed for them.

Perhaps, the presence of iPhone 7 and 8 is due to those ever piling stock of not sold phones of their era?

On the other hand, it makes sense to keep a home buttoned device in the lineup that obviously is cheaper. I personally hate not having a button or a bezel. That made me sell my X and revert back to a 7 Plus after some weeks (which I now upgraded to a 8 Plus after a lowered price.)

So, in a way, keeping the 8 might be admitting that perhaps people don't actually like those immersive full screen phones? It's like technological progress for the sake of progress: it doesn't solve any absolute problem.