SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- San Diego-based Qualcomm is being fined $1.2 billion after the European Commission found that that company violated antitrust rules.
The commission said Qualcomm paid billions of dollars to ensure it would be the exclusive chipmaker for iPhones and iPads.
The results prevented any rival from competing with Qualcomm, according to the commission.
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"Qualcomm illegally shut out rivals from the market for LTE baseband chipsets for over five years, thereby cementing its market dominance," said Commissioner Margrethe Vastager.
Qualcomm said it plans to appeal the fine.
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"We are confident this agreement did not violate EU competition rules or adversely affect market competition or European consumers," said Don Rosenberg, executive vice president and general counsel of Qualcomm.
Qualcomm signed the exclusivity agreement with Apple in 2011. Apple now sources some of its chips from Intel.
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