Qualcomm wants iPhone XS and XR to be sold off in China

Qualcomm has filed requests in Chinese courts to stop the import and sale of the iPhone XS, XS Max and XR in China. Qualcomm invokes infringement of its patents.

Qualcomm has brought the cases before courts in the Chinese cities of Beijing, Qingdao and Guangzhou, the lawyer representing Qualcomm confirms to The Financial Times. The chipmaker is strengthened by the preliminary injunction pronounced last week in a patent case against Apple. “We plan to use the same patents in the case against the three new iPhone models,” the lawyer said.

A court in China issued the preliminary injunction banning the import and sale of iPhone models 6s through X in a case involving three Qualcomm patents that Apple allegedly infringed. The court agreed with Qualcomm’s claims for two patents. It concerns a patent on resizing photos and one on the use of touchscreens for apps.

According to Apple, the imposed import and sales ban has no effect in practice because the patent infringement would only affect iOS 11 and not iOS 12, which appeared in September. Qualcomm disagrees, claiming that the breach continues with iOS 12 as well. The preliminary injunction pronounced on Tuesday does not mention an iOS version, according to the FT. Apple is appealing the ruling.