Supreme Court rejects Apple’s bid to proceed combating over two Qualcomm patents

The Supreme Court declined Apple’s bid (pdf) for a listening to over two Qualcomm patents (US Patent No. 7,844,037 and US Patent No. 8,683,362) that had been a part of lawsuits filed in 2017, claiming infringement by Apple’s iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches.

Reuters points out that Apple and Qualcomm’s 2019 settlement of a worldwide authorized battle over patents largely ended the squabbling in favor of a six-year licensing settlement however allowed a case in entrance of the Patent and Trademark Office’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board to proceed. There, Apple argued the 2 patents ought to be invalid, however the board dominated in Qualcomm’s favor.

Last April, the Federal Circuit courtroom rejected Apple’s request for an attraction based mostly on the 2019 settlement overlaying 1000’s of patents, together with these two. At the time, Apple argued that its royalty funds and threat of being sued once more had been causes for a listening to.

In its attraction to the Supreme Court (pdf), Apple argued that Qualcomm may use the patents in a lawsuit once more as soon as the license expires in 2025 or in 2027 if it’s prolonged. The Department of Justice under the Biden administration submitted an amicus brief rejecting these arguments in May and requested the Supreme Court to disclaim Apple’s request. Now that it has, we’ll in all probability have to attend till that license settlement ultimately expires to know what is going to occur subsequent.