After posting of security bonds by Qualcomm in order to enforce a court order issued last month, Apple is now likely to be pulling some of its iPhone models from German markets, said Qualcomm on Thursday.
Last month on December 20, a German court had ordered to ban the sales of those iPhone models in the country, which had been found infringing Qualcomm patents on smartphones’ power-saving technology.
And now, as part of a legal requirement, Qualcomm has posted the bonds of 1.34 billion euros ($1.52 billion).
Previously, Apple had announced that when court order came into force, which was subject to take effect after posting of bond by Qualcomm as a condition of court order, iPhone7 and iPhone8 would be pulled from 15 of its stores in Germany.
To a global patent fight between Apple and Qualcomm, over patent-infringement allegations, the Qualcomm, till now, has remained successful to secure bans on Apple’s lucrative iPhones in three countries including the United States, China and recently, Germany.
It was not only the sales but also offer for sales and even importation for sales, which Apple has to stop in Germany according to the court order.
After the court decision last month, Apple said that it would be appealing and on Thursday when contacted by Reuters, Apple’s spokesman in Germany commented in email repeated that group had been planning to appeal and that the sale of iPhone7 and iPhone8 models will be stopped on its stores in Germany till conclusion of appealing process.
According to Qualcomm, recalling the affected iPhones from third-party resellers in Germany was also ordered to Apple by the court, whereas in direct contradiction to Qualcomm’s interpretation of court order, Apple had said that at retail and carrier location, sale of its phones would be continued.
