Qualcomm adds theft accusation to ongoing suit against Apple about Intel

Qualcomm is accusing Apple of stealing protected chip secrets and of passing them on to Intel, according to an amended complaint Qualcomm filed this week in California’s Superior Court in San Diego county. The Wall Street Journal reports Qualcomm now wants the court to amend its existing lawsuit against Apple. Qualcomm general counsel Donald Rosenberg told CNBC the case stands on its own and would have been filed regardless of any ongoing dispute. 

Apple and Qualcomm have been in court for years, all over the world. In the suit connected to the latest accusation, Qualcomm accused Apple of breaking software agreements signed when it started using Qualcomm chips earlier this decade. Under the agreement, Apple had to let Qualcomm periodically ensure that the source code software and tools it was sharing were appropriately protected. Qualcomm first said it was prevented from auditing Apple's use of its source code and so sued. It now says Apple stole the same source code and tools so that Intel could overcome engineering flaws in the chips it provides for iPhones. 

Qualcomm is seeking unspecified damages. It is asking the court for a jury trial where it said it will present evidence. 

In a comment, Apple told the WSJ that some of Qualcomm’s business practices were illegal and harmful to the smartphone industry. Intel, which isn’t named as a defendant, declined to comment. 

Apple started using Intel modem chips for its iPhones in 2016, ending Qualcomm’s exclusivity as a supplier of that component. Apple recently introduced its latest iPhones, all without Qualcomm chips.