Apple Countersues Qualcomm Alleging Patent Infringement In Snapdragon Processors

According to a Reuters report, Apple is alleging that Qualcomm's Snapdragon 800 and 820 processors infringe on its patents regarding power management. More specifically, the patent covers how a processor can minimize power draw by turning off certain functions when not in use, along with enhanced sleep/wake functionality in mobile chips.

"Apple's patents are critical to what consumers value in a handset – cutting-edge functionality with superior battery life," said the company in the lawsuit.

Apple asserts that Qualcomm is in violation of eight patents, and in the complaint notes that it "began seeking those patents years before Qualcomm began seeking the patents it asserts against Apple in this case." This is in reference to the fact that Qualcomm sued Apple back in July over allegations that iPhones illegally use Qualcomm technology relating to battery-saving measures.

Needless to say, it appears that neither company is willing to back down with regards to this legal spat, which basically boils down to a disagreement over LTE modem royalty fees. Over the past year, the FTC filed a lawsuit against Qualcomm over anticompetitive chip licensing practices and tech titans Google and Microsoft have rushed to Apple's defense.

Qualcomm also has another unrelated battle on its hands. Broadcom has put forth an unsolicited offer to buy the chip giant valued at over $130 billion.