The spat between Apple and chipmaker Qualcomm just keeps getting nastier and nastier, and apparently Apple may finally have had enough of it. 

According to a new report from The Wall Street Journal, Apple is already busy designing iPhones and iPads without Qualcomm components. 

Instead, future phones may be packed with chips from Qualcomm rivals Intel and MediaTek. Qualcomm stock dropped by almost 8% today in the wake of the news.

The report claims that the final straw for Apple was when Qualcomm allegedly decided to withhold the software needed to test Qualcomm's own chips on Apple's prototype devices. 

These are but new chapters in a long series of unfortunate events. Qualcomm's move was likely prompted by Apple's recent $1 billion lawsuit against the chipmaker in which it claimed it has "nothing to do with" technologies that Qualcomm was seeking royalty payments for. 

Apple then decided to stop making licensing payments to Qualcomm, which led to a massive drop in revenue for Qualcomm. Qualcomm has tried to ban the sale of select iPhones in the US, and has also begun an attempt to get iPhone sales banned in China.

For all the animosity, though, Qualcomm sounds almost ready to make amends in its statement to The Wall Street Journal, which was in response to the question of whether Apple was redesigning its phones specifically because Qualcomm didn't send the testing software. Qualcomm sent the same response to TechRadar, but referenced the WSJ's question.

"The Qualcomm modem that could be used in the next generation iPhone has already been fully tested and released to Apple," the statement read. "We are committed to supporting Apple’s new devices consistent with our support of all others in the industry. Qualcomm’s wireless solutions remain the gold standard for premium tier smartphones."

Tough break

The mixed messages aren't all that surprising. Qualcomm is currently the largest manufacturer of chips for mobile devices by far, but that could change in favor of companies like Intel and MediaTek if Apple decides to walk away for good.

It's already attempted to in the past, as the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus carried both Intel and Qualcomm chips, as did this year's iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. For the next phone after the iPhone X, Apple might be able to make an entirely clean break.

Apple reportedly has until June to make its decision, although that's a bit late in the game, considering that the Cupertino company usually announces its new iPhones in September. There's also a chance that we'll see a new iPad Pro as early as next summer, which could make matters even more complicated. 

With all of that uncertainty on the table, it's probable we'll have to wait another generation before we finally see a Qualcomm-free iPhone (if, of course, we ever do).

We asked Qualcomm for a statement, but the company declined to comment on the speculation that Apple may stop using its chips. We also contacted Apple, but did not receive a response.

• It's almost here: read our hands-on iPhone X review

Reliance Jio has announced its iPhone X and Google Pixel 2 pre-order offers, giving users an option to get buyback guarantees and freebies up to Rs. 35,000 on the purchase of these two latest flagship smartphones. While iPhone X customers on the Reliance Jio network can get as much as 70% value on buyback, Pixel 2 customers can get freebies worth up to Rs. 35,000.

Jio iPhone X pre-order offers

Extending its 70% buyback offer to the iPhone X as well, Reliance Jio has also announced a special plan for iPhone X customers. Under its iPhone X pre-order offer, Reliance Jio customers will have to recharge with a minimum amount of Rs. 799 per month for the first 12 months to qualify for 70% buyback.

Under the Rs. 799 plan, iPhone X customers on the Jio network will get up to 3GB of high-speed 4G data per day, unlimited calls (local and STD, even on roaming), unlimited SMS and access to Jio apps worth Rs. 1250. This plan will be valid for a period of 28 days, meaning you will have to recharge with the Rs. 799 plan for 13 times at a minimum.

Pre-book the iPhone X on Jio at Rs. 1,999

Reliance Jio has started accepting pre-orders for the iPhone X at Rs. 1,999.

Further clarifying, the Jio iPhone X pre-order offer is valid on iPhone X purchased from Jio.com, MyJio, Amazon.in (sold by Reliance Digital) or RRL. The Jio iPhone X pre-order plan is valid from October 27th to November 3rd. The Jio iPhone Buyback Offer enrolment is applicable from September 29th to December 31st, 2017.

Users will have to recharge with the Rs. 799 per month plan for the entire 12-month period. Additionally, users can also recharge with a one-time plan of Rs. 9,999 to qualify for the offer.

Jio Google Pixel 2 pre-order offers

In addition to the iPhone X and iPhone 8 offers, Reliance Jio has also announced a slew of pre-order offers on the Google Pixel 2.

Pixel 2 users on Jio network will get unlimited data and voice benefits worth Rs. 9,999 for an year – with this offer, Pixel 2 users can enjoy up to 750GB of high-speed 4G LTE data, in addition to unlimited voice, SMS and Jio apps access.

HDFC credit card customers can also enjoy cashback of Rs. 8,000 when purchasing the new Pixel 2 smartphone on EMIs. Jio is also offering an additional exchange bonus of Rs. 5,000 and a pair of Sennheiser earphones worth Rs. 11,990 for free. In total, users can avail freebies worth Rs. 35,000 on pre-ordering the Pixel 2 on the Jio network.

The Jio Google Pixel 2 offer is valid starting from October 27 to January 24, 2018.

• Here's the best iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus offer you can get

The Nokia 2 has just been announced in India and it’s set to slot in at the bottom of the new HMD Global-built Nokia range, but with a surprisingly big battery it could have more going for it than just a low price.

The Nokia 2 has a 4,100mAh juice pack, which is bigger than the batteries in most phones at any price. The massive Samsung Galaxy Note 8 for example has just a 3,300mAh one, and HMD Global claims the Nokia 2's battery will allow for up to two days of life on a single charge.

It remains to be seen whether that will be true or not, but the otherwise modest specs of the Nokia 2 should help, as it has just a 5.0-inch 720 x 1280 screen, a 1.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 212 chipset, 1GB of RAM, an 8MP rear camera, a 5MP front-facing one, 8GB of storage and a microSD card slot.

The power does concern us though. Performance of the more powerful Nokia 3 didn't exactly impress, and with less RAM and an entry-level chipset in the Nokia 2 we wonder how well it will perform on screen. One of our team members attended the launch event who tried his hands on the phone, according to his initial experience with the Nokia 2, the phone lacks power and was showing signs of lags at at the launch itself. The brand must be aware that only the mighty battery itself cannot suffice the needs of a budget phone user.  

Priced to move

Nokia has not yet announced the exact price and availability details of the Nokia 2 but we expect it to be priced somewhere around Rs 6000. It is expected to be available in India from around mid November. 

Looking at the competition in India, Nokia 2 specifications are a little conerning as we already have phones like Moto C and Redmi 4A doing well under this price segment. But there are some notable points beyond the battery life. It’s clad in aluminum for one, giving it a potentially better look than some budget phones, and it runs a stock version of Android Nougat, with Android Oreo confirmed to be arriving on the Nokia 2 at a later date.

• The Nokia 9 could also be coming soon