Following China granting Qualcomm an import and sales ban on some iPhone models earlier this week, Apple announced this evening that it will release a software update to resolve any potential patent infringement. The software update will roll out next week.
In a statement to Reuters, Apple said that the software “updates” will roll out to affected devices in China at the start of next week.
Details are unclear at this point. While Qualcomm claimed the injunction against Apple would “ban the import and sale of nearly all iPhone models in China,” that hasn’t yet turned out to be the case. Apple issued a statement earlier this week saying that “all iPhone models remain available for our customers in China.” That still remains true as of today. The injunction was based on two patents and seemingly related only to pre-iOS 12 releases of iOS.
Earlier this evening, Bloomberg reported on a filing from Apple in China in which the company outlined the effects an iPhone ban in China would have. Apple said such a ban would cost it ‘millions of dollars a day,’ as well as hurting consumers, the Chinese government, and suppliers and manufacturers like Foxconn.
Related stories:
- China grants iPhone import and sale ban over Qualcomm dispute, but Apple seemingly has a workaround [U]
- Apple says an iPhone sales ban in China would force it to settle w/ Qualcomm, cost ‘millions of dollars a day’
- iPhones may still face US import ban, says ITC, in latest Qualcomm development
- Qualcomm says Apple in breach of China iPhone sales ban because it is still selling iPhones in China
- Qualcomm now tries to get this year’s iPhones banned in China through 2nd injunction
- Judge rules Qualcomm can’t use Apple’s switch to Intel modems as evidence in FTC antitrust case
