Apple Can’t Appeal Patent Board Rulings After Qualcomm Deal

A 2019 global settlement between Apple Inc. and Qualcomm Inc. bars the phonemaker from challenging patent office decisions upholding two Qualcomm patents, the Federal Circuit said.

The settlement ended all cases between the companies, including Qualcomm’s suit against Apple over the U.S. Patent Nos. 7,844,037 and 8,683,362 covering technology used in smartphones. Without parallel litigation, Apple can’t show a non-speculative injury it will face if the patents remain valid, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit said in a precedential opinion.

“Ultimately, Apple’s assertions amount to little more than an expression of its displeasure with a license ...