A German court dismissed a patent lawsuit filed by Qualcomm against Apple, just a few weeks after the chip company won a separate case banning sales of older iPhone models in the country.

Reuters reported that a regional court in the German city of Mannheim said the patent in question was not violated by the deployment of Qualcomm chips in Apple’s smartphones, dismissing the suit as groundless.

The ruling represents a reversal in fortunes for Qualcomm’s ongoing battles with Apple in Germany, after it won a case at the end of 2018 to enforce a ban on sales of some older iPhones in the country.

A regional court in Munich ruled on 20 December that Apple infringed on a patent related to Qualcomm’s power saving technology, resulting in a ban on the import and sale of certain iPhone models.

Qualcomm also won a similar case banning the sale of older iPhones in China.

Apple is appealing the rulings in both Munch and China. In the latter, the company released a software update for its iPhone operating system to skirt the ban, while it is also continuing to sell newer versions of its iPhones in Germany. It has, however, halted the sale of its iPhone 7 and 8 models in 15 retail locations in the country.

Reaction
In a statement responding to the Mannheim decision, Apple said it was happy with the decision.

“We regret Qualcomm’s use of the court to divert attention from their illegal behaviour that is the subject of multiple lawsuits and proceedings around the world,” said Apple.

Qualcomm confirmed it would appeal the latest decision in Germany, stating it will continue to “enforce our IP rights against Apple worldwide”.

The company is also pursuing an iPhone ban in the US.