Qualcomm has fired its next salvo in its global legal dispute with Apple. The chipmaker has filed a complaint with the United States International Trade Commission to seek a ban on iPhone sales in the country. It wants the ITC to stop new iPhones from coming into the country and wants Apple to halt sales on the iPhones that have already entered the country.
Qualcomm alleges that Apple is violating six of its patents on extending a handset’s battery life. It adds that since these patents are not essential to a standard, it’s not required to license them.
The company has filed a similar complaint with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. “Qualcomm’s inventions are at the heart of every iPhone and extend well beyond modem technologies or cellular standards,” said Don Rosenberg, Qualcomm’s general counsel. He adds that Apple continues to use the company’s technology without paying for it.
On the other hand, Apple claims that Qualcomm’s fees for the use of its patents are “disproportionately high.” It alleges that Qualcomm is misusing its position as a market leader in smartphone modems.
Apple hasn’t commented on this latest development in its patent dispute with Qualcomm as yet but we can be sure to hear its legal team return fire in the near future.