Qualcomm lashes back at Apple, seeking import ban on iPhones that allegedly violate key patents

The white glove legal battle between two of the most important companies in mobile technologies is getting a lot hotter. Today, Qualcomm levied accusations against Apple suggesting that the Cupertino tech giant was infringing on six patents that aided iPhone battery life. Qualcomm wants U.S. trade regulators to ban imports of the affected iPhone models.

“Apple continues to use Qualcomm’s technology while refusing to pay for it,” Don Rosenberg, executive vice president and general counsel of Qualcomm, said in a statement given to CNBC.

It’s not immediately clear which models would be affected by such a ban, but Qualcomm wants the courts to determine which iPhones are currently using processors from other manufacturers.

TechCrunch has reached out to Qualcomm and Apple for comment.

Qualcomm has taken a hit while other tech giants have soared in recent months, largely due to the company’s problematic relationship with Apple. Qualcomm’s stock is down more than 15 percent since the year’s start. In January, the iPhone-maker filed a $1 billion royalty suit against Qualcomm, suggesting that the company had “built its business on older, legacy, standards but reinforces its dominance through exclusionary tactics and excessive royalties”