The iPhone 14 has been banned from sale in Colombia since its launch. This ban is the result of a legal dispute between Apple and Swedish telecom company Ericsson over 5G technology. However, Apple recently announced plans to release the iPhone 14 Plus in this South American country in October.
In an interview with Rest of World, Carlos Olarte, Ericsson’s lawyer in Colombia, said he was unaware of this announcement. “I suspect it’s a misunderstanding,” Olarte said, emphasizing that releasing the iPhone 14 Plus would directly violate the current ban.
Back in July, a judge ruled to ban the import of any Apple 5G devices after Ericsson filed a lawsuit accusing Apple of infringing on Colombian and other countries’ patents. Ericsson claims Apple’s 5G technology should belong to the Swedish telecom company and Apple has not obtained proper licensing.
Ericsson proposed a $5 royalty fee for each 5G iPhone sold, but Apple refused to pay. So far, Colombia is the only country to block Apple’s 5G devices as a precaution until a final court decision is made.
Rest of World reached out to Apple, but the company declined to comment. Apple later removed the mention of the iPhone 14 Plus release in Colombia from its October 28 press release.
As a result of the lawsuit, consumers in Colombia have been unable to buy any official iPhone 14 models since mid-September. Their only option is to purchase imported iPhones on the black market at a premium of up to $300 (about 7.2 million VND) per device.
Regarding the lawsuit, Apple has filed an appeal hoping for a different court ruling that would allow it to resume iPhone 14 sales and gain approval from Colombia’s telecom regulator.
