Judge lifts $300,000 sanctions order against Apple in Qualcomm brouhaha

A California federal judge has lifted a $300,000 sanctions order against Apple Inc. for missing a document production deadline in the Federal Trade Commission’s antitrust case against Qualcomm ruling that a magistrate judge cited unclear authority in issuing the order, according to Law360.

In December Apple was ordered to pay $25,000 each day it failed to produce evidence related to an FTC case against Qualcomm. In the legal battle, Apple sued Qualcomm, the world’s dominant supplier of baseband processors, alleging the chip supplier demanded unfair terms for its technology. However, Qualcomm denies the allegations and says Apple wouldn’t have an iPhone business if it weren’t for fair licensing of the company’s essential tech.

Qualcomm claims it went out of its way to offer alternative licensing (which Apple rejected), and that, in suing Qualcomm, Apple is motivated by reducing the cost to make iPhones.