The manufacturer Nokia will receive regular payments from Apple over the next few years in exchange for a patent license agreement, around 5G in particular.
Nokia and Apple announced on Tuesday July 4 that they have sealed a long-term patent licensing union. The Finnish multinational explains that the agreement covers the group’s fundamental inventions in 5G, but also in other technologies. The American giant will pay for that, and this, for several years in order to include these innovations in its iPhone. The equipment manufacturer plans to recognize the products resulting from the patent license agreement (something which has also caused it some problems with its Apple Watch lately) very quickly, from January 2024.
An agreement that reassures Nokia
Network pioneer Nokia, which recently released a new waterproof smartphone, has therefore signed a cross-licensing agreement. The latter is not new, since it replaces the one that expires at the end of the year. If you are looking for the financial element, know that the two brands will not give up and explain that ” the terms of the agreement remain confidential “.
This agreement, concluded amicably, reflects the robustness of Nokia’s patent portfolio, based on our decades-long investment in research and development, and our contributions to cellular standards and other technologies “Reacted the president of Nokia Technologies, Jenni Lukander. The company specifies that the agreement is aligned with its long-term prospects.
This union is capital for Nokia, which ensures a long-term financial base and which now has a portfolio of patents based on 140 billion euros invested by the firm in research and development since the beginning of the century. The company now holds 20,000 patents, including 5,500 for the unique 5G technology.
Nokia and Apple, former best enemies turned pig buddies
Apple and Nokia weren’t always best friends. The two giants had clashed on the legal ground a few years ago in multiple countries, including France. At the time, Nokia criticized Apple for using its patents. The dispute was settled in 2017, when a first licensing agreement was signed between the two actors. This was the beginning of a friendlier relationship, and above all a more fruitful one.
The two companies have indeed understood that they could help each other, and the apple firm has grasped the challenge of 5G, among other technologies. Nokia, for its part, consents to its inventions being ” open standards in exchange for the right to license them. By finding his account, that goes without saying.
Source: Apple/Nokia press release
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