Some Apple iPhone Models Could Face A Ban In Germany

Next up in the ongoing dispute between Qualcomm and Apple: a possible ban on sales of certain iPhone models in Germany as a result of alleged patent infringement by Apple, according to a court ruling in the country.

The ruling follows a court-ordered ban on the sale of certain iPhone models in China that also stemmed from a patent dispute between chip maker Qualcomm and device maker Apple.

[Related: Apple Says iPhones Still For Sale In China After Ruling In Qualcomm Case]

In the Germany case, the ban affects iPhone models with a chip from Qorvo Inc., according to a Reuters report. The chip infringes a Qualcomm patent related to an energy-saving measure known as "envelope tracking," Reuters said.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The ruling will not take effect immediately if Apple files an appeal, according to Reuters. The report did not specify which iPhone models could be impacted by the ruling.

Earlier this month, a court in China banned the sale of iPhone models from the iPhone 6S up through the iPhone X.

The ban stems from a finding in the court that Apple violated two software patents held by Qualcomm, related to photo resizing and app management on a touch screen.

Apple, however, said it will continue selling all iPhone models in China with updated software.

The rulings in Germany and China are the latest in a series of legal volleys between Qualcomm and Apple - formerly key partners - over several years. In September, Qualcomm accused Apple of stealing Qualcomm trade secrets and giving them to Intel. That same month, a judge at the U.S. International Trade Commission found that Apple infringed one Qualcomm patent.