Oct 23, 2024 13:44:00

Arm notifies Qualcomm of license termination, and will halt product sales or seek damages if the matter is not resolved within 60 days

In a dispute between

Arm and Qualcomm over a licensing agreement, it has been revealed that Arm has notified Qualcomm that it will terminate its license to use chip designs. Qualcomm has 60 days to provide a solution before the termination.

Arm to Scrap Qualcomm Chip Design License in Feud Escalation - Bloomberg
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-10-23/arm-to-cancel-qualcomm-chip-design-license-in-escalation-of-feud

Arm to revoke Qualcomm's semiconductor design license as standoff escalates - Bloomberg

https://www.bloomberg.co.jp/news/articles/2024-10-23/SLS8XGT0AFB400

Arm is canceling Qualcomm's chip design license | Hacker News
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41920401

Arm reportedly warns Qualcomm it will cancel its licenses • The Register
https://www.theregister.com/2024/10/23/arm_warns_qualcomm_on_licenses/

Arm cancels Qualcomm's instruction set, IP license for chip design
https://9to5google.com/2024/10/22/report-qualcomm-arm-chip-design/

[Update: QCOMM Statement] ARM rains on Qualcomm's Snapdragon parade with design license cancellation - SamMobile
https://www.sammobile.com/news/arm-rains-on-qualcomms-snapdragon-parade-with-design-license-cancellation/

Arm and Qualcomm have been partners in semiconductor design and development for many years, but their relationship changed in 2021 when Qualcomm acquired startup Nuvia.

Qualcomm used the technology it obtained from Nuvia in its Window PC SoCs ' Snapdragon X Elite ' and ' Snapdragon X Plus ', but Arm argued that the license it gave to Nuvia was for its own Arm cores and did not allow it to be used in other companies' products. Qualcomm terminated its license agreement with Nuvia, claiming that it was not even asked for consent to transfer Nuvia's license to Qualcomm, and filed a lawsuit against Qualcomm, demanding that Qualcomm cease and desist from using and destroy the technology and products developed under the license agreement between Nuvia and Arm.

Arm files lawsuit against Qualcomm and Nuvia for breach of license agreement and trademark infringement – Arm®
https://www.arm.com/ja/company/news/2022/08/arm-files-lawsuit-against-qualcomm-and-nuvia-for-breach-of-license-agreements-and-trademark-infringement

Qualcomm has also filed a countersuit, arguing that Arm's claims are unjustified.

Qualcomm, who was asked by Arm to 'destroy products that violate the license,' countersued, saying 'Arm's argument is unjust' - GIGAZINE

With neither company giving in, it was recently revealed that on October 23, 2024, Arm notified Qualcomm that it would terminate its license agreement in 60 days.

Qualcomm derives its business from products based on its contract with Arm, and if the contract is terminated, it may face the suspension of sales of those products or claims for large damages.

'This is yet another baseless threat by Arm to block high-performance CPUs in order to secure higher royalties,' a Qualcomm spokesperson said, according to news site The Register. 'Arm's desperate tactics, with the trial looming in December, are an attempt to derail the legal process and their claims of termination are completely without merit. We are confident that Qualcomm's rights under the contract will be upheld. Arm's anti-competitive behavior will not be tolerated.'

Arm has not commented.