Published: 4/28/17
Publication: Forbes
“After years of investigations, lawsuits, and fines, a checkered past of patent abuse and exploitation appears to have caught up with a major U.S. chip developer.
Qualcomm Inc. now finds itself as a defendant in a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) antitrust suit, in which the plaintiff argues the San Diego company leveraged its position as owner of certain essential patents for wireless phones and devices to impose unfair licensing terms on customers and drive out competing manufacturers. The FTC suit is the most recent—and most significant—of a series of setbacks Qualcomm has weathered since late December. Apple has sued the company over patent-licensing terms, and the Korea Fair Trade Commission has fined Qualcomm $853 million for antitrust violations in the South Korean market.” — [READ MORE]