back to article Apple yanks iPhones from sale in Germany – and maybe China, too – amid Qualcomm spat

The iPhone 7 and 8 have been removed from sale in Germany after a Munich court issued an injunction against Apple amid its ongoing patent fight with Qualcomm. The iGiant acknowledged that the smartphones had been taken off the shelves in all its stores in Germany, although they will still be available through third parties. …

  1. Boris the Cockroach Silver badge

    Pass the

    popcorn.

    This looks more fun than staring out of an airport terminal building....

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Pint

      Re: Pass the

      By the TEU as far as I can tell. What a time to be missing the resources of GrokLaw. Pretty prescient that closure looking at the Australian Law that just got passed.

  2. stizzleswick
    WTF?

    What I don't get is...

    ... why aren't they suing Intel? It seems Apple are only buying the infringing modules, not actually making them. Qualcomm may be incensed that Apple are buying elsewhere, but from what I can find, the copyright and/or patent infringement is being perpetrated not by Apple, but by Intel. So why don't Qualcomm sue Intel? I may be a little simple in this, but I don't get it.

    1. Bush_rat

      Re: What I don't get is...

      I'm not well versed in the details, but I believe the patent suit is in relation to software, hence why Apple is claiming to have fixed the infraction in an update. I'm not certain what software, perhaps a technique for communicating with a modem chip that Qualcomm "owns".

      P.S., While I find patent debates ridiculous and stifling to innovation, I personally hope Qualcomm succeeds in getting some compensation here, as if they go bankrupt the market will have significantly less competition.

      1. Flocke Kroes Silver badge

        Re: What I don't get is...

        Qualcomm have been working hard at strangling any competition for years. I have no idea if Qualcomm or Apple is more guilty than the other but I think the bulk of the blame belongs with the patent system.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: What I don't get is...

      The issue may not be related to any Intel product - just Apple buying from Intel too (and thereby reducing Qualcomm revenues - and with the risk of being replaced wholly) could have been what triggered the search for a way to hurt Apple. What's better than patents?

    3. tooltalk

      Re: What I don't get is...

      why do you think Apple went after Samsung, not Google? that's because Apple can. Samsung is an easier foreign target than its American neighbor. Qualcomm likewise can sue whoever uses the infringed product.

    4. tooltalk

      Re: What I don't get is...

      why? Why do you think Apple went after Samsung, not Google?

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    a billion dollars in compensation

    Dr Evil wants a word.

  4. Voland's right hand Silver badge

    Plague meet Cholera

    Plague meet Cholera, Cholera meet Plague. Enjoy each others company and Pox on both of your houses.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Facepalm

    I've been in China for 2 weeks, and in that time I have seen TWO iphone users.

    Even if Apple win in court, they may have lost their customer base in their 2nd(?) biggest market.

    Nearly everyone I have seen is using either Huawei or Xiaomi phones; whereas 4 years ago, both brands were ridiculed by the locals.(Seen a few Oppo and Vivo users).

    Even my wife is now deciding between which of two Xiaomi phones she is going to buy (her sister works for China Unicom, so BIG discounts).

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I've been in China for 2 weeks, and in that time I have seen TWO iphone users.

      I would be interested to know how much of this hometown turn-in-fortune for Huawei or Xiaomi is due to national pride (you ban us, we'll ban you), and how much of it is due to these companies making significant strides in product quality and performance due to massive industrial espionage R&D spend.

  6. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge

    A Stalin would say...

    "None of this is necessary. Shoot them all."

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "charging exorbitant fees based on work they didn’t do"

    That evidently infringes an Apple patent - that's how iPhones are made and sold!

  8. BugabooSue

    As the “cholera meet plague” comment above points out - both of these companies are scummy fuckers.

    I like iOS. The Apps I use on it are not available elsewhere. Replacing their functionality will be hard, but it will be a dark day in hell if I ever buy anything Apple again!

    I’ve cancelled my Apple Dev licence and sold off all my Apple gear apart from this 6S+. Once this dies, I’m off to anything else. Now, if I can avoid Qualcomm as well, I’d be super-happy!

    A pox on their houses indeed!!

    1. Andre Carneiro

      Out of interest, why such visceral reaction that led you to such extreme measures?

      1. Pascal Monett Silver badge

        Maybe he's being a responsible consumer ?

  9. Hans 1
    Paris Hilton

    Bulshit idiot-tax outfit excuses

    punter: What's this, sir, my car is brand spanking new and has a dent, although I only just paid for it and was about to leave in it.

    Sales bloke: No, that dent is nuthin' just manufacturing made it that way, that dent is by design, the specific location of the dent changes from car to car, so, your's is precious, it is unique, no other has a dent at that specific location!

    Yeah, sure!

  10. anonymous boring coward Silver badge

    “Cupertino idiot-tax operation“

    You don’t have to show your Apple hate in every single article.

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    " Apple sued Qualcomm claiming that it was charging "excessive patent royalty fees" for its cellphone technology."

    OMG. The company that makes their entire fortune charging excessive amounts for their product seriously made this claim?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Exactly! Just f**king pay the fee, crApple. Its not as if they can't afford it.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Don't be ignorant, Qualcomm has some patents registered under the sharing system, which is supposed to prevent them from charging excessively for the same in exchange for those patents not being challenged.

      Qualcomm however do not honour that commitment. Like it or not, as people demonstrate buying an Apple or not buying an Apple (and paying or not paying the "Apple Tax") is a purely voluntary thing; whereas if Qualcomm have their way, paying Qualcomm excessively for being able to use a modem won't be avoidable. Good on Apple for doing this, and if you don't like Apple, then don't buy the fucking things.

  12. Dig

    About that picture

    Please don't use that stock photo again.

  13. trisul

    PS

    I thought the article informative, until the PS came along, invalidating any sense of objectivity. So, I deleted everything I read here from my consciousness. I will need to find out from a more serious source.

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    iLogical

    >Meanwhile, Apple has put out an equally forthright statement claiming that "Qualcomm’s campaign is a desperate attempt to distract from the real issues between our companies."

    So that is why they thew the olive branch into the thrash and is backing companies not paying licensing fees to Qualcomm?

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