U.S. judge rules that Apple’s foreign lawsuits against Qualcomm can proceed

The legal drama between Apple and Qualcomm continues.

A U.S. federal judge in San Diego has ruled that Apple’s 11 foreign lawsuits again Qualcomm can proceed while the company’s American lawsuit continues.

Qualcomm and Apple are currently in a legal dispute over allegations of anti-competitive behaviour on the part of Qualcomm.

Most consumer-grade devices available today — including the iPhone — contain some form of Qualcomm chip, and the chip manufacturer is currently being accused by the computing giant for not licensing modem chips at a fair price.

Qualcomm has defended itself by arguing that is sets fair terms on its chips, while determining fair prices for patents that are “not bound by the standard rules,” according to Reuters.

In August 2017, the chip manufacturer attempted to stall 11 separate foreign suits regarding the same allegations of unfair pricing as in the U.S., by filing what is known as an anti-suit.

The company claimed that the foreign lawsuits were “functionally the same” as the U.S. suit, and that Apple’s foreign suits were “vexatious and oppressive.”

However, judge Gonzalo Curiel ruled that Apple could proceed with those foreign suits while the U.S. case continued.

“Apple’s declarations make evident that it has sought to challenge Qualcomm’s patent licensing practices and anticompetitive conduct territory by territory,” wrote Curiel in his ruling, according to Reuters. “While Qualcomm may object to this litigation strategy as duplicative, the Court will not conclude that Apple’s exercise of its rights under foreign laws is vexatious.”

Qualcomm currently also has a separate suit against four Apple contract manufacturers, alleging that those manufacturers — including Foxconn — have failed to pay royalties on licensed agreements.

Apple has also stated that it will not pay Qualcomm any royalties until the legal disputes have been settled.

Source: Reuters