Qualcomm Claims Custom Oryon Cores Contain Less Than 1% ARM Technology Amid Legal Battle
Qualcomm’s custom Oryon cores, debuting in the Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus chipsets, are at the heart of a legal dispute with ARM. The British chip designer accuses Qualcomm of breaching licensing agreements, while Qualcomm maintains its cores were developed almost entirely in-house, with less than 1% reliance on ARM technology.
The Ongoing Trial and Qualcomm's Defense
During the trial in a U.S. federal court in Delaware, Gerard Williams, the ex-Apple engineer behind Nuvia's founding and a lead designer of Oryon, testified under questioning that ARM’s technology constitutes less than 1% of the custom Oryon cores. ARM's legal team argued otherwise, claiming that Qualcomm and Nuvia cores rely on ARM’s IP under the licensing agreement that was allegedly violated when Qualcomm acquired Nuvia in 2021 for $1.4 billion.
ARM's Position: ARM claims its licensing agreement was breached and that Qualcomm should have renegotiated after the acquisition.
Qualcomm’s Counter: Qualcomm asserts that its Architecture License Agreement (ALA) covers Nuvia’s designs and allows them to use ARM’s IP without renegotiation.
What’s at Stake?
The legal dispute isn’t just about licensing fees—it’s about Qualcomm’s ability to independently produce custom CPU cores to challenge Apple’s in-house silicon and enter markets dominated by Intel and AMD.
Key Points From the Trial
Qualcomm reportedly pays ARM $300 million annually in licensing fees, but ARM claims a $50 million annual revenue loss due to the Nuvia acquisition.
ARM seeks to prevent Qualcomm from using any Nuvia-derived designs, potentially derailing the company’s roadmap for in-house silicon.
The trial may see Qualcomm CEO Christiano Amon testify as the case approaches a verdict.
Qualcomm’s custom core strategy is a cornerstone of its ambition to rival Apple in the notebook and mobile SoC market. If ARM prevails, it could force Qualcomm to abandon or significantly delay its Oryon-based products, reshaping the competitive landscape.
