Qualcomm and Arm jury to return next week after deliberations in contract dispute case

The jury in Qualcomm's lawsuit against chip technology supplier Arm Holdings will reconvene next week to continue deliberations in the contract dispute case. The five-day trial, held in Delaware federal court, concluded last week and focused on whether Arm breached licensing agreements and intentionally harmed Qualcomm's dealings with Meta Platforms.

The lawsuit was the second of its kind between the companies, highlighting the strained relationship between Qualcomm and Arm, which intensified after SoftBank Group acquired control of Arm in 2016. At stake was whether Qualcomm, with its license for Arm's computing architecture valid until 2033, could secure new versions of Arm's architecture based on the outcome.

During the trial, Qualcomm sought to prove that Arm breached its licensing agreements by withholding software patches and tools for its designs and violating an agreement meant to ensure Qualcomm paid within 10 percent of the lowest price for Arm's processor designs. Arm's defense claimed Qualcomm had not suffered any harm, labeling the case as an attempt to leverage bargaining power as the two parties negotiated licensing terms.

The jury deliberated for approximately four hours on Friday but had not reached a verdict, prompting them to return for further deliberations on Tuesday. Qualcomm's lawyer emphasized the gravity of the case for the company, stating it was vital that Arm honor its contract and fulfill its promises.