Apple Will Change iPhone in China to Avoid Sales Ban

Apple says that it will make two major changes to the iPhone software in China to avoid a patent-infringement sales ban. But Qualcomm, which owns the patents in question, says that Apple must immediately stop selling the affected iPhones in that country.

“[Apple] is legally obligated to immediately cease sales, offers for sale, and importation of the devices identified in the orders and to prove compliance in court,” Qualcomm executive vice president and general counsel Don Rosenberg said of Apple’s ploy.

Qualcomm has asked the Fuzhou Intermediate People’s Court, which had earlier ruled in its favor, to enforce its injunction against iPhone sales.

Apple, meanwhile, has asked the court to reconsider its ruling since the firm would lose millions of dollars each day should a ban be enforced; Apple told the court that it made $13.3 billion on iPhone sales in China in the first quarter of 2018.

Apple also said that it would remove two infringing software features from the iPhone next week in order to meet Qualcomm’s legal rights. These features are related to app switching and using touch to change the size and appearance of photos.