Major Tech Companies Side With Apple in Dispute With Qualcomm

A lobbying group that represents Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft, and Facebook has sided with Apple in its dispute with Qualcomm, reports Reuters.

The Computer & Communications Industry Association, which also counts Intel and Samsung as members, has filed comments with the U.S. International Trade Commission arguing against a Qualcomm complaint that aims to ban sales of the iPhone in the USA. The group argued that banning Apple from importing iPhones that use Intel modems would cause "significant shocks to supply" for phones and would hurt consumers.

"If the ITC were to grant this exclusion order, it would help Qualcomm use its monopoly power for further leverage against Apple and allow them to drive up prices on consumer devices," Ed Black, the CEO of the group, said in a statement. “What’s at stake here is certainly the availability of iPhones and other smartphones at better prices."


Back in January, Apple sued Qualcomm for allegedly withholding $1 billion in rebates because it complied with Korean regulators investigating Qualcomm. The company then expanded that lawsuit on the heels of a Supreme Court ruling last month, arguing that the license agreements that give Qualcomm a cut of every iPhone manufactured are invalid.

In response to Apple's lawsuit Qualcomm sued Apple contract manufacturers Foxconn, Pegatron, Wistron, and Compal for withholding royalties. It's also filed a complaint with the United States International Trade Commission alleging that Apple has infringed on six Qualcomm patents that 'enabled important features and functions in iPhones'. Today the company announced two new patent-infringement suits against Apple in Germany. The patents are the European counterparts to the ones used in the ITC complaint.

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