Enterprise
Qualcomm paid over a billion dollars just to spite Apple
All to get the company banned in Germany
How far would you go for a feud? For some people, there’s no such thing as pettiness. People go to great heights just to get ahead of a despised enemy. For big companies, prolonged feuds can reach staggeringly new levels. Embroiled in a scathing feud against Apple, Qualcomm recently showed how much it despises the American iPhone maker.
Weeks ago, Qualcomm emerged victorious in a couple of legal battles against Apple. Citing copyright infringements, German and Chinese courts hammered down a guilty verdict against Apple. Both legal systems ordered the company to stop selling its products in Germany and China. As a result, Apple will face arduous appeal processes to protest Qualcomm’s claims. Qualcomm won.
Unfortunately, Qualcomm’s victory comes at a very steep price. In Germany, the company must post bonds to ensure the guilty verdict’s enforcement. The ruling is a legal requirement in German courts. To Qualcomm’s dismay, the required bonds sum up to a whopping EUR 1.34 billion (or approximately US$ 1.52 billion). Despite Qualcomm’s size, the sum is nothing to shrug about.
Surprisingly (or not), Qualcomm paid the amount in full. The company shelled out over a million dollars to enforce a ban on Apple’s old merchandise. Hence, Apple is now legally required to pull out its iPhone 7 and 8 models from German circulation. Currently, the company operates 15 retail stores in the country. Apple will cooperate with the country’s enforced ban.
In contrast, Apple is still appealing the decision in Chinese courts. Rather than accepting defeat, the company will wait for heavy enforcement before declaring compliance with China’s decision. Right now, the jury is still out on China’s response to Apple’s cries for mercy. However, the writing on the wall is crystal clear: Qualcomm is out for Apple’s blood, regardless of the price and the quantity of blood spilled.
SEE ALSO: Qualcomm allegedly ordered a smear campaign against Apple
The ongoing trade war between the United States and China is putting a lot of companies out of business in one country. While all eyes are currently on America’s crusade against TikTok, China has launched a salvo of its own. The country has started banning AMD and Intel, starting with government devices.
Recently, as reported by the Financial Times, China has introduced a new rule that bans American chipsets and servers from government agencies. The new ban includes AMD, Intel, and Microsoft Windows.
In lieu of the now-banned brands, Chinese government agencies must use approved brands from a list of 18 Chinese manufacturers. Unsurprisingly, the list includes Huawei, another brand involved in the ongoing trade war. (Huawei is still banned on American soil.)
As with bans from America, China’s latest rules stem from a desire to implement national security. Both countries allege that using brands from the opposing side will open a potential avenue for transferring classified information.
Currently, the ban against the American chipsets are only affecting government devices. However, if it follows the same trajectory as Huawei and TikTok in the United States, a government-only ban might soon lead to an all-out ban on consumer devices. As TikTok is currently hanging in the balance, it’s unlikely that the trade wars will cool down anytime soon.
So far, Apple’s greatest enemy has been the European Union. Months and months of claiming that the company engages in anti-competitive practices, the region has successfully caused Apple to drastically change a lot of things about the iPhone including the Lightning cable. Now, a new challenger wants Apple to answer for its supposed grip on the industry: the United States government.
Today, the Department of Justice is officially suing Apple for supposedly monopolizing the smartphone industry and stifling competition. The lawsuit alleges that Apple’s lineup of products prevent users from trying out other brands. For example, Apple limits how well a third-party smartwatch works on an iPhone, pushing users to go for an Apple Watch instead.
The lawsuit also includes an important pain point in Apple’s fight in Europe. It says that the company makes it difficult for iPhone users to communicate with Android users (and vice versa). Late last year, the company already committed to supporting RCS as a messaging standard, finally easing communication between the two systems. Their adoption has yet to arrive, though.
Though not as stringent as Europe, the American government is no slouch when it comes to questioning its own companies for pursuing anti-competitive practices. In the past, it went through Google and Spotify to protect the interests of its citizens. The lawsuit against Apple is no different, gathering signatures from sixteen states.
For Apple’s part, the company aims to get the case dismissed, alleging the lawsuit’s unfair scope of just the American people when it targets the entire world.
SEE ALSO: Apple opens first Developer Center in Southeast Asia
With how technology is these days, it’s no surprise that the next big thing is always just over the horizon. However, these developments often happen year after year. Today, artificial intelligence is strapping a rocket to this already fast trend. Only a few months since the launch of Gemini, Google has already launched its successor, Gemini 1.5.
Launched only recently, Gemini is a marvel in itself. Prior to the model, Google was already a force in the AI world with Bard. Gemini takes the former model and improves an already impressive service. Currently, users — both in business and for personal use — can subscribe to the service.
Today, Google has confirmed that Gemini 1.5 is official. The company is touting how much more impressive the new version is, compared to its predecessor. For one, Gemini 1.5 Pro is just as powerful as the current Gemini Ultra, beating the latter on 87 percent of tests. The new version is reportedly more efficient in allocating only the necessary resources for queries, rather than the entire model.
Despite allocating resources, Gemini 1.5 can handle a million tokens at a time. For reference, Gemini Pro can only handle 32,000 tokens at a time. Basically, the new version can parse through a humungous chunk of data all at once without batting a digital eye. (Google is claiming that capabilities for 10 million tokens is nearing, too.)
If you want to see what a million tokens in the palm of your hand feels like, Gemini 1.5 is already available for developers and business users. However, a wider rollout is still coming soon.
-
Accessories2 weeks ago
Apple Vision Pro Review: Two Months Later
-
Features5 days ago
Fortify your home office or business setup with these devices
-
Gaming1 week ago
The Rogue Prince of Persia looks like an ultra-colorful roguelite
-
Events1 week ago
Stellar Blade: PlayStation taps cosplayers to play Eve for game’s launch
-
Gaming1 week ago
Star Wars Outlaws release date revealed
-
Accessories1 week ago
Logitech unveils G Pro X 60 gaming keyboard: Price, details
-
Philippines2 weeks ago
vivo Y100 to release in Philippines on April 27
-
Deals2 weeks ago
Samsung Awesome April: Deals on Galaxy A series