Qualcomm is suing Apple (again), claims it shared software with rival Intel

The legal war between Qualcomm and Apple has escalated yet again. This time the San Diego chipmaker is suing Apple for allegedly sharing proprietary Qualcomm technologies with its market rival, Intel.

In the lawsuit, filed on November 1st, Qualcomm is accusing the iPhone maker of breaching a software license contract. To back up its claim, Qualcomm says it has email in which Apple requested confidential documentation. Bloomberg reports that the email included an Intel engineer in the distribution list.

Qualcomm also claims that the contract between the two companies permits it to audit Apple’s handling of its software, but the Cupertino giant has reportedly refused any such requests.

It’s unclear what kind of damages Qualcomm is seeking from the lawsuit, but considering the recent legal battles between the two companies, it’s fair to expect that Qualcomm is after a hefty sum as compensation.

The bad blood between the two kicked off in January when Apple levied a $1 billion lawsuit against Qualcomm. The chipmaker later countersued, sought injunctions to halt the sale of iPhones in both the US and China, and launched a further lawsuit accusing Apple of copyright infringement.

While Qualcomm is predominantly known for its chipsets designed for Android hardware, Apple has used both Qualcomm and Intel modems for different iPhone models. This particular lawsuit also centres around Qualcomm software that allows mobile chips to work with other parts of a device and interact with networks.

A recent Wall Street Journal report noted that as a result of the legal feud, Apple is apparently looking to ditch all Qualcomm components in the near future.