US Federal Trade Commission gets go-ahead for antitrust suit against Qualcomm
A U.S. Federal Trade Commission lawsuit leveled against Qualcomm before the start of a separate case by Apple can continue in spite of overtures for a dismissal from the chipmaker, a California court ruled this week.
District Judge Lucy Koh has rejected a Qualcomm motion to dismiss the FTC action, Reuters said on Tuesday. Like Apple, the FTC has accused Qualcomm of anticompetitive behavior in demanding that clients buying broadband chips also pay for patent licenses. The firm has simultaneously refused to issue licenses to rivals, the FTC said.
In filing to dismiss, Qualcomm argued that even thought the FTC's charges were completely true, they didn't represent wrongdoing. Koh specifically rejected that view in her ruling.
A dismissal was also opposed by Intel and Samsung, which earlier submitted amicus briefs on the matter.
The Apple lawsuit, which has yet to go to trial, additionally charges Qualcomm of withholding nearly $1 billion in rebates in retaliation for cooperating with a South Korean antitrust probe. The battle between the two companies has gradually escalated, with Qualcomm filing a countersuit in April, and Apple suppliers withholding royalty payments, presumably missing compensation their client would normally offer.
Despite the ongoing legal action, Apple is expected to use a split of Intel and Qualcomm modems for this year's "iPhone 8."
District Judge Lucy Koh has rejected a Qualcomm motion to dismiss the FTC action, Reuters said on Tuesday. Like Apple, the FTC has accused Qualcomm of anticompetitive behavior in demanding that clients buying broadband chips also pay for patent licenses. The firm has simultaneously refused to issue licenses to rivals, the FTC said.
In filing to dismiss, Qualcomm argued that even thought the FTC's charges were completely true, they didn't represent wrongdoing. Koh specifically rejected that view in her ruling.
A dismissal was also opposed by Intel and Samsung, which earlier submitted amicus briefs on the matter.
The Apple lawsuit, which has yet to go to trial, additionally charges Qualcomm of withholding nearly $1 billion in rebates in retaliation for cooperating with a South Korean antitrust probe. The battle between the two companies has gradually escalated, with Qualcomm filing a countersuit in April, and Apple suppliers withholding royalty payments, presumably missing compensation their client would normally offer.
Despite the ongoing legal action, Apple is expected to use a split of Intel and Qualcomm modems for this year's "iPhone 8."
Comments
Qualcomm didn't argue that, even though the FTC's allegations are true, they don't add up to the violation of law which the FTC claims they do. Rather, Qualcomm argued that, even if the FTC's allegations were true, they wouldn't add up to the violation of law which the FTC claims they do. In other words, Qualcomm argued that the FTC is wrong on the law even if it is right on the facts - that the FTC's legal theory is flawed, that it fails to allege facts sufficient to support the legal claim it makes. That's pretty much what it had to argue, because at this stage the court has to view the facts in the light most favorable to the non-moving party (i.e., the FTC).
That said, Qualcomm disputes some of the allegations made by the FTC - it believes, in effect, that the FTC is wrong on the facts as well. It will argue to that effect in future proceedings.
I would add that I think Qualcomm's motion to dismiss is disingenuous when it comes to multiple claims it makes about what the FTC has or hasn't alleged. I'm not in a position to know which side is correct (or being honest) with regard to particular conflicting claims which they make. But I can judge whether they are respectively being honest about what the other claims.