Apple and Qualcomm have reached a settlement in their ongoing royalty dispute. The two companies issued a press release Tuesday afternoon, stating that they will drop all litigation and enter a six-year licensing agreement, effective as of the beginning of this month.
Qualcomm and Apple today announced an agreement to dismiss all litigation between the two companies worldwide. The settlement includes a payment from Apple to Qualcomm. The companies also have reached a six-year license agreement, effective as of April 1, 2019, including a two-year option to extend, and a multiyear chipset supply agreement.
This is a significant development, as Apple and Qualcomm have been entangled in legal battles around the world for years. There was talk of iPhone sales bans in some countries, and Apple was rumored to be moving from Qualcomm to Intel or even in-house modems.
At the heart of their disagreement was that Apple didn’t like paying Qualcomm for both its modems and licensing fees—a double-dipping of sorts. In fact, the two firms just began a major trial in San Diego this week—a high-profile battle that was expected to last well into May.
But it seems like all of that’s over with now. So…nothing to see here, move along.
Source: Apple