Apple previously accused Qualcomm of “double dipping“as a result of the company’s policies on selling radio chips for use in iPhones. The Cupertino company had also objected to Qualcomm charging a percentage of the price of an iPhone rather than a flat fee per chip.
Apple withdrew its claims in 2024, but a separate class action lawsuit was still being pursued on behalf of iPhone owners. This lawsuit has now been dropped…
Qualcomm’s ‘dual’ claims
The dispute between Apple and Qualcomm over the radio chips used in the iPhone was a long and often heated one.
Qualcomm was accused of effectively charging Apple twice: once for the chips themselves. and again for a patent license that gives Apple the right to use the technology embedded in the chips. Apple referred to this practice as double dipping.
Apple took aim at Qualcomm’s practice of asking customers to sign patent license agreements before buying chips, known in the industry as “no license, no chips.” The license allows Qualcomm to receive a percentage of the overall selling price for the iPhone in exchange for supplying the modem chips that allow the phones to connect to cellular data networks.
You can read a more detailed summary of the dispute herebut Apple finally was forced to solve the case out of court.
The stand-alone class action is withdrawn
Although Apple settled the case, a separate independent class action continued in the UK. It made the same claims against Qualcomm, arguing that the policy drove up iPhone prices and therefore consumers were obligated to compensate.
Reuters reports that this lawsuit has now been abandoned.
Qualcomm said on Tuesday a lawsuit in London alleging it abused its dominant position to force Apple and Samsung to pay inflated royalties would be withdrawn.
British Consumers Association which is called Which? had filed the case on behalf of about 29 million people who bought iPhones or Samsung devices since 2015, seeking 480 million pounds ($652.03 million) in compensation.
It had apparently become clear that the claim would not succeed.
Apple is still in the process of transitioning to its own custom radio chips.
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