Apple counters Qualcomm with its own patent infringement claims

The Apple VS Qualcomm lawsuit has taken another turn. This time around though, its Apple firing the shots, with the company accusing Qualcomm of infringing on its patents. This latest development turns the tables somewhat, as the patents in question relate to the Snapdragon 820 and Snapdragon 800 processors, which were previously used in many popular Android smartphones and tablets.

Apple has accused Qualcomm of violating eight patents in total. These patents detail features like ensuring that the processor only draws the minimum power required to achieve a task. Another patent details turning off parts of the processor when they are not needed, while another relates to sleep/wake functions.

The countersuit filing also claims that Apple began pursuing these patents “years before” Qualcomm began seeking the patents it is now trying to hold over Apple in this case. According to Reuters, Apple is seeking ‘unspecified damages' from Qualcomm for these infringements.

These patents were used in the Snapdragon 820 and Snapdragon 800 processors, which were used in devices sold by both Samsung and Google. Neither of these companies are named in Apple's counterclaim.

This has of course all stemmed from Apple's lawsuit filing in January, in which it sued Qualcomm for almost $1 billion in royalty rebates, claiming Qualcomm's contract terms were unfair. This led to the FTC launching its own investigation into Qualcomm. Since then, Qualcomm has gone all out, going after Apple's supply chain and attempting to get the company's devices banned in the US and China.

Most recently, it has been rumored that Apple will be using Intel LTE modems inside of its next batch of iOS devices in order to cut ties with Qualcomm. In turn, Qualcomm has also claimed that Apple handed Intel confidential information about its own technologies.

KitGuru Says: Qualcomm will undoubtedly respond to Apple's latest counterclaim fairly quickly. That said, it is unlikely that we will see a resolution to this any time soon.

Become a Patron!