Apple to update iPhones in China to address Qualcomm's patent claims

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Apple to update iPhones in China to address Qualcomm's patent claims
UPDATE: We've been approached by Qualcomm with a short statement on the matter. Here is what Don Rosberg, executive vice president and general counsel of Qualcomm, has to say about Apple's attempts to lift the injunction: 


Apple will roll out a software update to all iPhones models in China that infringe on Qualcomm's patents, the company told Reuters earlier today. The Chinese court has granted Qualcomm an injunction against Apple that could potentially block the sales of older iPhone models up to X. 

Although Apple continues to sell all iPhone models in China, that might not last too long unless the company doesn't settle the patent claim or does something to remove the functionality subject to Qualcomm's patent claims.

And it appears that Apple has found a way to avoid having the sales of its iPhones blocked. The Cupertino-based company plans to release a software update for iPhone users in China, which is meant to address the minor functionality of the two patents at issue.

Since the injunction affects only iPhones running pre-iOS 12 software, the update won't be released for newer models like iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR. The problem is Qualcomm is asking the Chinese court to ban sales of Apple's newest models as well, so we'll see how that goes.

The patents that Apple allegedly infringed are related to resizing photos and managing apps. However, according to Apple, the case only applies to iPhones running iOS 11, and since all the models mentioned by the Chinese court in the ruling have already been updated to iOS 12, it means that it doesn't infringe on Qualcomm's patents.

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