Apple says it will resume selling banned iPhone 7 and 8 models in Germany using only chips from Qualcomm, after it had “no choice” but to stop using Intel chips
(Reuters) - Apple Inc said Thursday that it will resume selling older iPhone models in its stores in Germany …
Context & Ripple Effects
Qualcomm's patent-enforcement campaign against Apple has been winning courtroom rounds on two fronts: a Chinese preliminary injunction blocked iPhone sales from the 6s to X in December, and days later a Munich court granted an injunction that pushed Apple to pull the iPhone 7 and 8 from its 15 retail stores across Germany. Today's announcement is Apple's compliance play for the German front — resume sales, but only with Qualcomm's own chips inside.
First-order effects
- German buyers regain access to the iPhone 7 and 8 at Apple's retail stores, but only in configurations built on Qualcomm modems — Intel variants stay off shelves while the injunction stands.
- Intel loses its modem slot in every iPhone 7 and 8 sold in Germany, a visible crack in its position as Apple's second chip supplier.
Second-order effects
- The ruling hands Qualcomm leverage beyond royalties: it can now point to a major market where Apple must buy its silicon to sell at all, strengthening its hand in the broader licensing dispute.
- Apple's stated 'no choice' framing signals how exposed it is wherever it depends on a second supplier — pressure that feeds directly into its modem sourcing calculus for future iPhones.
Third-order effects
- If injunctions keep landing jurisdiction by jurisdiction, patent holders with essential portfolios gain a template for forcing design changes rather than just damages — pushing device makers toward fewer, litigation-proof supplier relationships.
- The pattern foreshadows the consolidation the later reporting confirms: Apple's concern about Intel as a sole supplier for its planned 5G iPhone was what drove it back to a Qualcomm settlement, suggesting dual-sourcing strategies collapse under legal and supply pressure alike.
The trend: Patent litigation is becoming a supply-chain weapon, letting Qualcomm convert courtroom wins into mandatory design wins as Apple's multi-supplier modem strategy erodes.