Qualcomm Demands German Court Fine Apple for Continuing to Sell iPhones After Ban

Qualcomm today filed a motion calling for a German court to levy fines against Apple for not complying with a December import ban barring iPhone 7 and ‌iPhone‌ 8 models from being sold in Germany, reports Bloomberg.

According to Qualcomm, Apple failed to properly recall the banned iPhones from third-party sellers and continued to sell them in some Apple Stores in early January. Qualcomm in early January posted 1.34 billion euros in security bonds to enforce the ban, and Apple pulled its iPhones entirely from the country the next day.

qualcomm iphone 7
Qualcomm general counsel Don Rosenberg said that Apple "intentionally" defied the court order and continued to sell iPhones in some stores, and that the company "obviously" doesn't consider itself "bound by the injunction."

"Significant fines must be imposed to put a check on that," he wrote in a statement to Bloomberg.

To prove Apple's non-compliance with the order, Qualcomm pointed towards a December press release that Apple has already been forced to retract. In the press release, Apple said that while the ‌iPhone‌ 7 and ‌iPhone‌ 8 models would be unavailable for purchase at its own retail stores, the devices would be available from carriers and third-party retailers.

Qualcomm and Apple have been embroiled in an increasingly tense legal battle since January 2017. Qualcomm has thus far won sales bans on older devices in China and Germany, rulings that Apple is fighting against.

Over the course of the last month, representatives from both companies were in a Northern California court for the Qualcomm v. FTC antitrust lawsuit. The FTC has accused Qualcomm of using anticompetitive tactics to remain the main supplier for baseband processors for smartphones, an argument similar to Apple's.

The Qualcomm/FTC trial wrapped up yesterday, and we are awaiting a verdict from the presiding judge, Lucy Koh, who also handled Apple v. Samsung.

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Everything Apple Announced at WWDC 2025 in 10 Minutes

Monday June 9, 2025 5:21 pm PDT by
At today's WWDC 2025 keynote event, Apple unveiled a new design that will inform the next decade of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS development, so needless to say, it was a busy day. Apple also unveiled a ton of new features for the iPhone, an overhauled Spotlight interface for the Mac, and a ton of updates that make the iPad more like a Mac than ever before. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel ...
iPadOS 26 Apple Newsroom

Apple Says iPadOS 26 is Compatible With These iPad Models

Monday June 9, 2025 11:22 am PDT by
Apple today announced that iPadOS 26 will be compatible with the iPad models listed below. iPadOS 26 features a new Liquid Glass design, a menu bar, improved app windowing, and more. iPadOS 26 supports the following iPad models:iPad Pro (M4) iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later) iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and later) iPad Air (M2 and later) iPad Air (3rd generation and...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday June 12, 2025 8:58 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
apple beta 26 lineup

Apple 'Sherlocked' These Apps at WWDC 2025

Wednesday June 11, 2025 7:14 am PDT by
Apple at WWDC previewed a bunch of new features coming in its updated operating systems, but certain changes will have been met with dismay by third-party developers who already offer apps with equivalent or similar features. In other words, their product has been "sherlocked" by Apple. When Apple creates an app or a feature that has functionality found in a third-party app, it is referred...
iPhone Car Key WWDC 2025

Apple Says These 13 Vehicle Brands Will Soon Offer iPhone Car Keys

Monday June 9, 2025 2:38 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. During its WWDC 2025 keynote today, Apple said that 13...
iOS 26 Screens

Here Are All the iOS 26 Features That Require iPhone 15 Pro or Newer

Thursday June 12, 2025 4:53 am PDT by
With iOS 26, Apple has introduced some major changes to the iPhone experience, headlined by the new Liquid Glass redesign that's available across all compatible devices. However, several of the update's features are exclusive to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models, since they rely on Apple Intelligence. The following features are powered by on-device large language models and machine...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

iOS 26 Includes These 100 New Features and Changes for Your iPhone

Tuesday June 10, 2025 11:59 am PDT by
Apple has announced iOS 26, and the upcoming software update includes a long list of new features and changes for iPhones. The first iOS 26 developer beta is now available, and a public beta will follow next month. The update will be released later this year. iOS 26 is compatible with the iPhone 11 and newer. Below, we have provided a high-level overview of 100 new features and changes ...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

Hate iOS 26's Liquid Glass Design? Here's How to Tone It Down

Wednesday June 11, 2025 4:22 pm PDT by
iOS 26 features a whole new design material that Apple calls Liquid Glass, with a focus on transparency that lets the content on your display shine through the controls. If you're not a fan of the look, or are having trouble with readability, there is a step that you can take to make things more opaque without entirely losing out on the new look. Apple has multiple Accessibility options that ...

Top Rated Comments

HacKage Avatar
83 months ago
Apple pulling a Facebook and continuing to do what they've been told not to...
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RickInHouston Avatar
83 months ago
This just looks bad on Qualcomm... Jesus, how long can this go on?
Can apple do anything wrong in some people's eyes?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AZREOSpecialist Avatar
83 months ago
Qualcomm has become irrelevant and they know it, so they are trying to get as much as they can from a former customer. Sad, sad state of affairs.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kirkster Avatar
83 months ago
Perhaps it is time to buy Qualcomm using the spare change in Tim’s Office couch...
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
code-m Avatar
83 months ago
That's a good point about Facebook and Google. If Apple wants to play hardball about abiding by the letter of the law with those guys, it can't cry about having it done to them by Q.

I really can't envision a situation where A & Q come together in some sort of backslapping Kumbaya moment.
Are we comparing a ToS on Apples App Store for developers with the law of the land that has yet to be trialed.
[doublepost=1548960675][/doublepost]
Perhaps it is time to buy Qualcomm using the spare change in Tim’s Office couch...
Why when Apple has the talent to do it themselves, look at ARM development on the A series silicone as an example.
[doublepost=1548960874][/doublepost]
This just looks bad on Qualcomm... Jesus, how long can this go on?
QualComm to Apple we want more money compared to what we negotiate with others. Apple we will pay you the same as you charge others due to fair market value. QualComm, no you pay us more because you are Apple. Apple this settles it we will go with Intel. QualComm trying to play hardball and looses. In the end it hurts the consumer, nothing new here.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
blcamp Avatar
83 months ago
Screw Qualcomm. Once Apple designs it's own chips completely they won't need anyone else except contract makers like TMSC, Hon Hai (Foxconn) and Hemlock.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)