BREAKING NEWS: Apple iPhones Banned In China

Apple has been nobbled by the Chinese with US Company banned from selling older model iPhones.

China has granted an injunction against Apple over its patent dispute with Qualcomm, a move that the chip maker claims “bans the import and sale of nearly all iPhone models in China.”

The Fuzhou Intermediate People’s Court ruled that Apple is infringing two Qualcomm patents and issued injunctions against the sale of the iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X, the San Diego, California-based chipmaker said in a statement.

Apple has issued a statement, however, saying that “all iPhone models remain available for our customers in China.”

At this stage it’s not known whether the Chinese Courts will order action against Apple.

Currently the US and China are in a standoff over the arrest of a senior Huawei executive in Canada and because of an ongoing trade fight.

The November 30 decision by a Chinese intellectual-property court, which doesn’t apply to new iPhone models launched this year as the modems are made by Intel.

Apple said that it plans to appeal the court’s decision.

Qualcomm said the Fuzhou Intermediate People’s Court in China found Apple had infringed on two patents: one related to photo editing and another to swiping on a touchscreen device.

The court order barring import and sales covers the iPhone X, 8, 7 and 6 models. It didn’t include Apple’s newest devices — the XS, XS Max and XR — because those models weren’t on the market when the patent case was filed.

It wasn’t immediately clear when any such ban might take effect.

Apple already has phased out selling some iPhone models globally, including the 6s, 6s Plus and X.

As of last night, Apple’s China website was still selling the iPhone 7 and 8 family of phones, as well as the newest releases.

About Post Author

David Richards

David Richards has been writing about technology for more than 30 years. A former Fleet Street journalist, he wrote the Award Winning Series on the Federated Ships Painters + Dockers Union for the Bulletin that led to a Royal Commission. He is also a Logie Winner for Outstanding Contribution To TV Journalism with a story called The Werribee Affair. In 1997, he built the largest Australian technology media company and prior to that the third largest PR company that became the foundation company for Ogilvy PR. Today he writes about technology and the impact on both business and consumers.