The U.S. International Trade Commission Tuesday announced it’s launching an official investigation into claims that some of Apple Inc.’s iPhone and iPad devices infringe on technology patents held by Qualcomm Technologies Inc.

The ITC said it has begun what’s called a Section 337 investigation into Apple, to determine whether or not it should ban the import of some iOS devices into the U.S.

“The US International Trade Commission has voted to institute an investigation of certain mobile electronic devices and radio frequency and processing components thereof,” the ITC said in a statement. “The products at issue in the investigation are mobile electronic devices – such as the iPhone 7, and specific components for such devices – such as baseband processor modems.”

The move comes following a complaint filed with the ITC by Qualcomm last month. The Snapdragon chip maker accuses Apple of infringing on six patents it holds, and it’s demanding a ban on the import of iPhones and iPads that use wireless broadband modems supplied by its competitor, Intel Corp.

For years, Apple exclusively used Qualcomm’s modem chips in its devices. However that changed with the launch of the iPhone 7, when it began using Intel’s components in some of those devices. But Qualcomm said Apple’s use of Intel’s technology infringes its patents and wants those offending devices to be banned from the U.S. Any ban would therefore affect only those Apple devices built with Intel’s components.

“Qualcomm is pleased with the ITC’s decision to investigate Apple’s unfair trade practices and the unauthorized importation of products using Qualcomm’s patents,” Qualcomm General Counsel Don Rosenberg said in a statement. “We look forward to the ITC’s expeditious investigation of Apple’s ongoing infringement of our intellectual property and the accelerated relief that the Commission can provide.”

Qualcomm’s complaint is essentially a counterattack against Apple in a heated legal dispute that began in January. Back then, the iPhone maker filed a lawsuit against Qualcomm alleging that the chipmaker has been demanding excessive fees in order to license its patents. Apple is suing Qualcomm for $1 billion in damages, and it also ordered its manufacturing partners to withhold license payments to the company until the case has been settled.

The dispute looks likely to drag on for months, despite Qualcomm Chief Executive Officer Steven Mollenkopf’s comment recently that he expects the matter eventually to be settled out of court.

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