A Delaware jury ruled that Arm breached its licensing agreement with Qualcomm, but awarded only $2 in damages. Both companies said they were pleased with the outcome, though for different reasons: Qualcomm highlighted the jury's finding that Arm acted to disrupt its business, while Arm noted the nominal award and its wins on four other claims.
The legal fight dates to 2022, when Arm sued Qualcomm over its acquisition of Nuvia, a chip designer that also licensed Arm technology. After Qualcomm won dismissal of Arm's claims last year, Qualcomm countersued, alleging Arm withheld software patches and tools and leaked information to Bloomberg News to delay a Qualcomm deal with Meta. The jury sided with Qualcomm on two counts, including intentional interference, but rejected four other claims.
Arm said the lawsuit was an attempt by Qualcomm to avoid paying billions of dollars in royalties, and that the $2 award confirms its arguments. Qualcomm said the verdict exposes Arm's broader intentions to harm its ecosystem. The dispute is not over: US District Judge Maryellen Noreika is still expected to resolve remaining issues, including whether Qualcomm can stop paying Arm royalties for five years—a penalty Arm argues is unenforceable.