Apple is about to hold an autumn conference, which will bring new products such as iPhone 13. As Apple’s annual flagship, it will inevitably become the focus of the market. Apple has been preparing for a year and is finally bringing iPhone 13 to the market.
However, Apple may face being "banned." As iPhone 13 is about to be released, why is Apple facing a sales ban? Can iPhone 13 still be released smoothly? What will be the impact if sales are banned?
Apple's influence is very great, and the iPhone released every year can trigger a rush to buy. Apple's press conference is like the "Spring Festival" in the technology and digital circles. Everyone is ready to watch the press conference and get ready to buy iPhone 13. As a result, there is news that Apple is facing a ban on sales.
The specific reason involves a patent infringement. In early September, the intelligent voice company Xiaoi Robot filed a lawsuit, asking the court to impose a sales ban on Apple and stop patent infringement involving Siri.
Xiaoi Robot holds relevant invention patents and obtained the patent in 2004. Later, Xiaoi Robot discovered that Apple's Siri infringed on its patented technology and used illegally obtained intelligent voice technology in its own products.
Although Xiaoi Robot initiated the ban application in early September, the case actually occurred 10 years ago. Xiaoi Robot and Apple have been going back and forth for 10 years, but they have not been able to give a final ruling.
This time Xiaoi Robot brought up the case again, probably to ban the sale of Apple’s products before it releases iPhone 13. Otherwise, once the iPhone 13 is released and officially sold to the market, the scope of infringement will be further expanded, causing greater losses to Xiaoi Robot.
The court has received Xiaoi Robot’s application, but the outcome is still unknown. It's just that Apple is currently facing the risk of being banned from sales. If Xiaoi Robot doesn't have clear evidence, it probably won't submit a ban application. If the court confirms Apple's infringement and takes further action, it may ban the sale of Apple products.
Apple faces the risk of a sales ban before releasing iPhone 13. Although the results have not been released, it also brings instability to the subsequent autumn launch. Apple has issued an invitation letter, confirming that it will hold its first autumn conference on September 15, when the iPhone 13 will be launched.
The question now is, can Apple, which is facing the risk of being banned from selling, still successfully release iPhone 13?
In Apple's style, it will not compromise easily. In the ten-year patent litigation case, Apple never bowed its head. Either pursue an appeal or deny the infringement. Moreover, iPhones have been successfully released in the past few years. For this year’s iPhone13, Apple will definitely do everything possible to promote the conference.
Moreover, the court’s decision must be carefully considered. There is only less than a week left before the release of iPhone 13. I am afraid that the final result cannot be given in such a short time. By then, the iPhone 13 is estimated to have been successfully released, and the majority of Apple fans will still be able to see the birth of the iPhone 13.
This is not the first time Apple has faced patent infringement litigation. Apple has been accused of many patent infringements around the world. Apple has fought patent wars with giants such as Qualcomm and Samsung. It also faced accusations of banning sales in Russia, but ultimately failed to ban Apple.
There is a Russian inventor who holds an "emergency phone patent" that can send rescue text messages in emergencies. Later, he discovered that the SOS emergency calling function of Apple mobile phones infringed on his patent and asked Russia to ban the sale of Apple mobile phones containing this patent.
According to a Russian court ruling, it refused to ban the sale of Apple products in Russia. In other words, the Russian inventor's application for a sales ban was rejected, and Apple can still continue to sell mobile phones in Russia.
A similar situation also occurred in China. It was also patent infringement and it was also required to ban sales.
However, the ban on Apple sales in Russia has failed, and it is estimated that it will be difficult for Apple to compromise in China. China is the world's largest 5G network market. When Apple releases 5G mobile phones, I am afraid that there will never be a more suitable 5G mobile phone market than China.
If Apple loses the Chinese market, Apple's revenue and market value will suffer heavy losses. To avoid all of this happening, it will be difficult for Apple to compromise.
Apple cannot live without China, and Chinese consumers are accustomed to using iPhones, and they are all eagerly awaiting the arrival of iPhone13. Don't be afraid of ten thousand, just be afraid of the eventuality, everything is possible. What will be the impact if Apple is banned?
First, the domestic supply chain will be hit.
Apple has established a stable supply chain system in China, with about a hundred Chinese suppliers. BYD, Luxshare Precision, Foxconn, TSMC and other companies all provide necessary production support for Apple.
If Apple is banned, related products can no longer be produced. This will bring a certain blow to the domestic supply chain, and it will take a long time to digest it if we want to restore normal supply chain relationships.
Just like some countries exclude Huawei from 5G, they will need to spend more time building 5G networks in the future. Not only will it cost a lot, it will also delay the development of 5G networks and hinder economic progress.
Secondly, the mobile phone and chip markets will usher in changes.
Apple ships hundreds of millions of units a year, which contributes to the huge size of the mobile phone and chip markets. If it is banned, there will be a gap in the market.
For a time, the market will lose corresponding high-end models, and domestic mobile phone manufacturers may take their place, but it is hard to say whether they can be recognized by all high-end consumers. The mobile phone and chip markets are about to undergo changes, and no one knows whether this change will be good or bad.
However, observing the status of Huawei mobile phones, it seems that it has not affected other mobile phone manufacturers.
Apple is facing the risk of being banned from selling in China. The matter is serious and I am afraid that we will not make this decision lightly. The ban on sales involves the market supply chain and will also affect the stability of the market economy. Apple will definitely not compromise. If possible, it will be beneficial to both parties to reach a settlement. It depends on how the case develops.
What do you think of Apple facing a sales ban?