German court bans Acer, Asus sales in Nokia patent dispute
A German court has banned the sale of devices from Acer and Asus following a patent dispute with Nokia. The case involves standard-essential patents related to the HEVC (H.265) video codec. The ruling highlights the significant market impact of unresolved intellectual property disputes over foundational technology standards.
- The ruling was issued by the Munich I Regional Court, which found that Acer and Asus were not "willing licensees" under the FRAND (Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory) licensing framework for Nokia's patents. - The specific patent at the heart of the initial lawsuits is EP 2 375 749, which is one of several Nokia patents related to the H.265 video codec standard. Nokia has also filed claims against the companies at the UPC local division in Munich concerning other HEVC-related patents. - While the injunction prevents Acer and Asus from directly selling, importing, or marketing the affected products in Germany, third-party retailers are still permitted to sell their existing inventory. However, the inability to import new units could lead to shortages if the dispute continues. - This is not the first time Nokia has successfully enforced its patents in Germany; Amazon had to modify its Fire TV Sticks in 2024, and OnePlus faced a similar sales ban in 2023 following disputes with the Finnish company. Nokia has also been in patent disputes with automotive companies like Daimler over cellular technology. - Another company, Hisense, was also initially targeted by Nokia in this series of lawsuits but avoided a sales ban by agreeing to a licensing deal with Nokia in January 2026. - In response to Nokia's German lawsuits, Acer has filed its own lawsuits against Nokia in Munich concerning wireless communication technology. Additionally, both Acer and Asus sought a UK High Court determination for a RAND rate for Nokia's video streaming portfolio and were granted an interim license. - Nokia's extensive patent portfolio includes standard-essential patents for widely used video codecs like H.264 (AVC), H.265 (HEVC), and H.266 (VVC). The company invests over €4 billion annually in research and development. - The legal interpretation of FRAND obligations is a critical aspect of this case, with German courts known for having a strict approach to patent enforcement, particularly concerning standard-essential patents.
