A Chinese court has banned the sales of almost all of Apple’s iPhone models.
As reported by CNN, a court in China has banned the sale and import of almost all of Apple’s iPhone models.
American microchip maker Qualcomm had claimed that Apple violated two of its patents in the iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X.
The court ruled in favour of Qualcomm’s lawsuit, granting a pair of preliminary injunctions. 15% of Apple’s current iPhone sales in China will be affected by the ban. Apple’s latest phones iPhone XS, iPhone XS Plus and iPhone XR will not be affected by the ban as the models had not been released at the time of the lawsuit.
Qualcomm’s patent involves users being able to edit and resize photos on a phone and manage apps through a touchscreen.
“If Apple is violating the orders, Qualcomm will seek enforcement of the orders through enforcement tribunals that are part of the Chinese court system,” Don Rosenberg, general counsel for Qualcomm, said in a statement.
“We deeply value our relationships with customers, rarely resorting to the courts for assistance, but we also have an abiding belief in the need to protect intellectual property rights,” Rosenberg added. “Apple continues to benefit from our intellectual property while refusing to compensate us.”
In response, Apple said it would pursue legal action in court.
“Qualcomm’s effort to ban our products is another desperate move by a company whose illegal practices are under investigation by regulators around the world,” Apple said.
