Qualcomm and Apple Extend Global Patent License Agreement Until 2027
Qualcomm and Apple have officially extended their global patent licensing agreement. The new deal will commence on April 1, 2027, as announced by the two companies on September 24, 2026. This renewal guarantees that Qualcomm will persist in collecting royalties from iPhones, irrespective of the chip manufacturer.
“We are delighted to prolong the Apple license agreement,” stated John Han, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Qualcomm Technology Licensing. The financial details and precise duration of the agreement remain undisclosed. This deal marks a crucial victory for Qualcomm, considering Apple, its largest customer contributing over a fifth of its revenue, has been vigorously developing its proprietary in-house modem technology. Qualcomm cautioned as recently as July 2026 that revenue from Apple products would decrease more rapidly than anticipated.
The extended agreement encompasses Qualcomm’s comprehensive portfolio of wireless technology patents, including cellular connectivity IP applicable to every iPhone sold worldwide. The association between the two tech behemoths traces back to a milestone 2019 settlement that concluded years of acrimonious legal disputes over patents and royalty payments. Qualcomm’s licensing business, known as QTL, constituted approximately 15% of the company’s total revenue in its most recent quarter, making this renewal a significant stabilizer for investors.