According to a report from Bloomberg, Apple and Qualcomm are heading to the International Trade Commission to fight over a potential ban on imported iPhones.
Qualcomm says Apple shouldn’t be allowed to sell several iPhone models, including the iPhones 7 and 8, in the US because they infringe three Qualcomm patents, Bloomberg reported.
The two companies will square off Sept. 17 at a hearing that’s expected to last several days. The ITC is expected to issue its final ruling by May 22, 2019, according to the agency’s website.
The ITC can block imports of the iPhone models if it finds Apple is infringing the patents. The commission must consider how an exclusion order would affect the public interest, such as whether it would improperly reduce market competition and slow down innovation in new technologies.
Qualcomm sells modem chips with the patented technologies. Apple buys chips from Qualcomm and Intel. Qualcomm argues the phones using the Intel chips are infringing. Qualcomm is asking the ITC to block imports of infringing iPhones that don’t use Qualcomm chips.
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