China has taken another step in banning the iPhone in China.

This entire issue revolves around Qualcomm, an American multinational semiconductor and telecommunications equipment company, claiming Apple infringed on its patents.

The patents in question revolve around how Apple formats images in iOS and the switching between apps.

This patent dispute was taken to the next level earlier this year when Qualcomm claimed Apple owed it over S$7 billion in royalties.

Injunction

In an escalation of affairs, a Chinese court, Fuzhou Intermediate People’s Court, granted two temporary injunctions on some older iPhones in China.

The affected models will be from iPhone 6s to the iPhone X.

Apple had previously paid a fee for licensing Qualcomm's tech, and a flat fee for every device sold.

This arrangement ended in 2017.

Still on sale

Despite the court's judgement, which Apple appealed immediately, Apple doesn't seem to be in any rush to cease sales in China.

They assured customers that their products will still very much be available in China.

Qualcomm also gave a statement on the court ruling.

Executive vice president and general counsel, Don Rosenberg, said:

“We deeply value our relationships with customers, rarely resorting to the courts for assistance, but we also have an abiding belief in the need to protect intellectual property rights. Apple continues to benefit from our intellectual property while refusing to compensate us. These Court orders are further confirmation of the strength of Qualcomm’s vast patent portfolio.”

Qualcomm provides tech such as the Snapdragon chips to China's biggest smartphones, such as Xiaomi, Oppo, and OnePlus.

Photo collated from iPhone and Qualcomm