Indirectly, Apple uses Qualcomm technology to produce iPhones (and pays less for it)

Two days ago, we commented on about speculation that Qualcomm might be negotiating with Apple in order to provide CDMA / UMTS technology for the production of iPhones. Disregarding the fact that no direct agreement between the two companies has been signed so far, it is important to remember that the device already uses patented technology from Qualcomm: the issue that it does not go into the hands of Apple directly.

iPhone 3GS lying on its side

According to Bernstein Research, any company in the smartphone sector pays 4% of the total price of its products only with Qualcomm technology; the iPhone maker, for its part, pays only 1.6%. This is because she buys chips baseband produced by another company, Infineon Technologies, delegating the task of paying the total royalties established in the contract for whoever manufactures each device (ie Foxconn).

The result of this is a significant increase in Apple's operating profits, which reached $ 280 million in fiscal year 2009 just for not paying the total of royalties charged by Qualcomm. At the same time, she is not doing anything wrong, that is, the supposed agreement that the two companies may be discussing has nothing to do with it.

(via MacNN)