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Qualcomm and Apple are facing off in federal court over
Qualcomm's licensing for modem chips, which provide mobile data
connectivity to devices like the iPhone.
Because those chips have become a standard across the mobile
phone industry, Qualcomm is required to license them on fair
terms.
Apple has alleged that Qualcomm is charging unfair prices for
the technology and is engaging in anticompetitive practices.
Qualcomm, for its part, has said that it provided fair terms for
the parts of technology where it is obligated to do so and that
it is within its rights to determine pricing on patents that are
not bound by the standards rules.
Qualcomm had sought what is known as an "anti-suit" injunction
against Apple, seeking to temporarily halt 11 separate lawsuits
against Qualcomm and its subsidiaries in the United Kingdom,
Japan, China and Taiwan over many of the same pricing and
practices issues as the U.S. case.
But Judge Gonzalo Curiel ruled against Qualcomm and said Apple
could proceed with those actions while the U.S. case plays out.
"Apple’s declarations make evident that it has sought to
challenge Qualcomm’s patent licensing practices and
anticompetitive conduct territory by territory," Curiel wrote.
"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."
Christine Trimble, vice president of public affairs at Qualcomm,
said in a statement, "While we are disappointed by today’s
rulings, we recognize that the motions involved high procedural
hurdles."
Apple praised the ruling.
"We are pleased the federal court in San Diego decided Qualcomm
must establish the fair value of its technology and defend its
business practices in court before forcing Apple and others to
pay exorbitant and unfair rates, which amount to a tax on our
own inventions," Apple spokesman Josh Rosenstock said in a
statement.
Qualcomm has also brought an action against Apple before the
U.S. International Trade Commission seeking to ban imports of
some iPhones. Qualcomm filed a separate civil lawsuit accusing
Apple of infringing the patents at issue in that action.
Qualcomm also faces an antitrust complaint from the U.S. Federal
Trade Commission. Meantime, four of Apple's contract
manufacturers sued Qualcomm on antitrust allegations, and Apple
joined that lawsuit.
(Reporting by Stephen Nellis; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
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