On December 10, Qualcomm announced that it had succeeded in a court case that got certain iPhone models banned from being sold in China. A little over a week later, we're now seeing the same thing happen in Germany.
The injunction covers all models of iPhones that contain the infringing functionalities and apply to Apple's European Union entities as well as Apple Incorporated. The judgment is immediately enforceable once Qualcomm posts bonds covering potential damages incurred by Apple should the judgment be overturned or amended on appeal.
The iPhone models in question include devices that shipped with iOS 11, so Apple's latest iPhones like the XS, XS Max, and XR aren't affected. Shortly after Qualcomm issued its press release, Apple came back with its own, saying:
During the appeal process, iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 models will not be available at Apple's 15 retail stores in Germany. iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR will remain available in all our stores.
It's pretty crazy that Qualcomm's been successful with these attempted bans in two countries already, and it'll be fascinating to see where we go from here. In this particular case, Qualcomm says Apple infringed on a patent that, "provides a way to mitigate power amplifier power consumption which enables the device to use power more efficiently and extend battery life in smartphones."
