Judgment against Apple: iPhones in China in the stores

According to the arranged country-wide ban on the sale of most of the iPhones in China is unclear whether this is enforced. A court in the southeastern Chinese port city of Fuzhou had decided on Monday in a preliminary ruling that all of the iPhone models from the iPhone 6S (2015) sold to the iPhone X (2017) in China or imported.

Hendrik Ankenbrand

business correspondent for China, based in Shanghai.

F. A. Z.

Thiemo Heeg

editor in the economy.

F. A. Z. Twitter

Bastian Benrath

editor in the economy.

F. A. Z. Twitter

the Background is a patent dispute between the American chip group Qualcomm and the American iPhone manufacturer Apple. Qualcomm alleges that Apple’s infringement of two software patents, and got this on Monday in China right. Because currently, the devices are still available everywhere. Apple hastened directly to the decision by stating that the iPhone will stay in all of the variants in the country.

Apparently, the decision only concerns the more than a year old mobile operating system, iOS 11 in the iPhones. The current Version of the regularly updated devices running, iOS 12. Apple has integrated a “Workaround” – a workaround. In order for the sales ban would run into the Void. In the case of patents, the technologies with which the size of photos can be adjusted as well as for dealing with Apps on the touch screen.

the Long drawn-out dispute

Between Apple and Qualcomm, a fierce dispute has raged for many months. To alleged patent infringement, the accused Qualcomm, Apple – which is why Qualcomm is pulling in several countries before the court, and the sale of iPhones to prevent. Apple accuses Qualcomm, in return, to demand that illegal high license fees.

The judgment in China would be the first major success for Qualcomm. In Germany, several lawsuits. Here’s the next decision is on 20. December in Munich.