SCOTUS Declines to Hear Apple Appeal Over Qualcomm Patents

28 JUNE 2022 - A case between Apple and Qualcomm is dead for now, with the US Supreme Court declining to hear an appeal from the Cupertino-company. Apple and Qualcomm were at each other’s throats in 2019 over a slew of tech used by Apple over which Qualcomm held (and holds) patents. A piece from 9 to 5 Mac says the two companies settled their multi-billion lawsuit on the day they were due in court three-years ago.

While that settlement “covered tens of thousands of Qualcomm patents,” 9 to 5 Mac says Apple wanted to contest two of those. According to the report:

…Apple’s request to challenge the validity of the two patents, however, was decided in favor of Qualcomm. Apple then appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which dismissed the appeal on the basis that Apple “lacked standing to pursue the matter because of the settlement.”

Here’s the thing though: The settlement runs out in 2025 or 2027, depending on whether it’s extended. Apple wants (or wanted) the question of the two patents decided now so it won’t have to worry about being sued over them again in three-to-five years.

With the supreme court’s declination, the sword of Damocles hangs out. That said, 9 to 5 Mac points out that Apple is believed to be working on 5G modems of its own, so who knows? Qualcomm’s IP may not be a worry in, say, three-to-five years.