Apple and Qualcomm become best pals... lol jk the sueballs keep flying

Apple filed a countersuit against Qualcomm in the Southern District Court of California today for allegedly infringing eight power-efficiency patents.

The pair have been locked in a lengthy game of ping pong over all sorts of fun disagreements – from breach of contract to patent infringement.

In July, Qualcomm pitched to the courts its particular concerns about some of the battery tech Apple was using in its iPhones and iPads. It claimed Cupertino's iBling infringed six patents, mostly concerning saving battery life, and even called for a full-on ban.

Apple, of course, said it did no such thing and labelled the patents invalid anyway.

Now, according to court documents, Apple has amended its response to include suing Qualcomm for using patents giving juice wherever and at whatever level is needed, plus starting and shutting down quickly. Apple alleged that "at least" the common Snapdragon 800 and 820 processors infringe these patents.

According to Qualcomm's website, the Snapdragon 820 Mobile platform with X12 LTE is "one of the most cutting-edge mobile processors ever created" and "supports the ultimate in connectivity, graphics, photography, power and battery efficiency".

In the suit, Apple boasted "a long history as a leading innovator in computing technology" and "foresaw the importance of reducing power consumption in computing devices as they became increasingly mobile".

It gave the example of the iPhone. "To provide this powerful functionality in such a small and lightweight device while making battery life useful, Apple relied on its hardware and software innovations to minimize power consumption."

It requested damages still to be determined "in no event less than reasonable royalty".

Apple and Qualcomm have not responded to a request for comment. ®