Intel: Qualcomm uses the courts to destroy its competition

Intel has weighed in on the legal sparring between Apple and Qualcomm, accusing the latter of (ab)using the courts to destroy any competition it has.

The American chipmaking company accused Qualcomm of competition squashing on Thursday, issuing a public statement to the US International Trade Commission.

The Commission asked for the statement, as it investigates Qualcomm’s accusations that Apple’s iPhones infringe six Qualcomm patents.

Intel basically said that Qualcomm is looking to "stave off" any competition from its only competitor.

"Qualcomm did not initiate this investigation to stop the alleged infringement of its patent rights; rather, its complaint is a transparent effort to stave off lawful competition from Qualcomm's only remaining rival," Intel said in its statement.

"This twisted use of the Commission's process is just the latest in a long line of anticompetitive strategies that Qualcomm has used to quash incipient and potential competitors and avoid competition on the merits."

Apple and Qualcomm have been going at it since January, when Apple sued Qualcomm in the states, asking to pay less for using Qualcomm’s tech.

The mobile chip maker, on the other hand, says iPhones and other similar devices wouldn’t have been possible "without relying upon Qualcomm's fundamental cellular technologies."

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