Qualcomm Inc (QCOM)

[carranza2]

I doubt TXN's suit has got anything to do with the Chinese. I suspect that it has to do with the cost advantage Q enjoys over TXN when it sells an ASIC. The Q can offer royalty dicounts to the manufacturer, but TXN can't since it doesn't control the royalty.

Seems like something that would have been subject to specific contract terms when the TXN/Q deal got done. If it wasn't, Q's original suit against TXN is explained since Q would want to yank the license or at least modify it as part of a settlement so it would be clear that Q may grant the discounts TXN complains about.

If Q gets to discount the royalty, TXN's license--presumably royalty free--is worth a bit more than a bucket of warm spit since Q could fashion its royalty discounts to always underprice TXN. Of course, it reduces its income but only by presumably smallish amounts while putting the whammy on its lone credible competitor in the ASIC arena.

And best of all, if Q wins, it could potentially keep its royalty-free TXN license it has which is of course valuable for its DSP IPRs.

Tough stance.

All IMO and FWIW.