Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC), obtained a very important partial victory against those from Qualcomm, the Americans managing to convince a court that they must receive 1 billion dollars from their partners. The amount represents discounts that Qualcomm promised Apple based on the collaboration they have in various areas around the globe, but which they no longer offered after the legal battle between the companies began.
The factories that assemble the iPhone paid billions of dollars to Qualcomm for integrating their components into the phones, and Apple reimburses the money to those who produced its phones. Qualcomm had to, on the other hand, offer those from Apple discounts for the licenses of the technologies used in the iPhone, those from Cupertino agreeing not to challenge their amount in court.
Apple Gets an IMPORTANT VICTORY Against Qualcomm
2 years ago Qualcomm refused to offer more discounts to Apple, accusing them of encouraging the companies that assemble the iPhone to report to the authorities in various countries the agreements regarding the payments made to them. Qualcomm also said that the statements of Apple's partners would have been false, although it was fined by the authorities with almost 1 billion dollars, more than 1 year ago.
Judge Gonzalo Curiel of the US District Court for the Southern District of California on Thursday ruled that Qualcomm, the world's biggest supplier of mobile phone chips, was obliged to pay nearly $1 billion in rebate payments to Apple, which for years used Qualcomm's modem chips to connect iPhones to wireless data networks.
Today's decision is not a final one, so it will not force Qualcomm to pay any money to Apple, but if it is maintained, and becomes final, then the money will have to reach the accounts of those in Cupertino. It is interesting how things evolved during this period, and it is possible that Apple will win the case against Qualcomm, in the end.
