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Qualcomm loses bid to squash FTC antitrust lawsuit

The Federal Trade Commission's suit accuses Qualcomm of using its power to extract high royalties from phone makers.

Roger Cheng Former Executive Editor / Head of News
Roger Cheng (he/him/his) was the executive editor in charge of CNET News, managing everything from daily breaking news to in-depth investigative packages. Prior to this, he was on the telecommunications beat and wrote for Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal for nearly a decade and got his start writing and laying out pages at a local paper in Southern California. He's a devoted Trojan alum and thinks sleep is the perfect -- if unattainable -- hobby for a parent.
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Qualcomm continues to face the FTC lawsuit. 

CNET

Qualcomm's legal battle with the Federal Trade Commission will carry on. 

A US federal judge ruled against Qualcomm's motion to dismiss an antitrust lawsuit filed by the FTC, the Wall Street Journal reported late Monday. The suit alleges that Qualcomm used its power and position in the industry to extract high royalties from phone manufacturers and to weaken rivals. Qualcomm argued that the suit didn't have merit and that the agency's claim lacked evidence

The ruling, while expected, means the case will proceed. It marks the latest legal tie-up for Qualcomm, which is already facing a separate legal battle with Apple, a $850 million fine from South Korean competition regulators and a fine of almost $1 billion in China

Qualcomm said it will continue to fight the FTC suit.

"We look forward to further proceedings in which we will be able to develop a more accurate factual record and the FTC will have the burden to prove its claims which we continue to believe are without merit," Don Rosenberg, Qualcomm's general counsel, said in an emailed statement. 

The FTC couldn't immediately be reached for comment. 

Qualcomm, a pioneer in wireless technology, makes the processor that acts as the brains of mobile devices like Samsung's Galaxy S8, as well the radio chip found in Apple's iPhone 7.

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