Nokia may not be a big brand anymore in the smartphone market, but the company holds countless patents that other manufacturers need to be able to bring their phones to market. Oppo no longer wanted to pay and Nokia went to court – with success. OnePlus is now also affected by this.
Nokia wins against Oppo and OnePlus
Update from July 08, 2022: Nokia has won the patent dispute against Oppo at the Mannheim District Court. By a Nokia’s injunction prohibits Oppo and OnePlus cellphones that infringe Nokia’s patents from being sold in Germany (Source: Nokiamob). Oppo’s objection was rejected. OnePlus is affected because the company was recently integrated into Oppo. We will be soliciting comments from Oppo and OnePlus, which we will attach here when we receive them.
And indeed: OnePlus cell phones can no longer be bought in the manufacturer’s shop. The smartphones are still listed there, but cannot be ordered directly (look at OnePlus). Oppo never sold directly itself. You can still buy OnePlus and Oppo cell phones from retailers like Amazon and Co.
Oppo sent us an official statement:
OPPO respects intellectual property rights and has historically entered into cross-licensing agreements with many of the leading companies in the industry, which is beneficial to all parties involved. We have appealed the verdict, but the court’s decision on this is still pending. Additionally, we will not comment on the ongoing legal process and are working with the relevant parties to resolve the matter soon.
OnePlus also sent us a statement:
OnePlus diligently complies with the laws and regulations in all markets where we operate. We fully cooperate with the relevant authorities as required. At the moment, we are working with the relevant parties to resolve the ongoing legal matter. We have appealed to the appellate court and will request stay of enforcement.
Basically the same gist. OnePlus complies with applicable law and wants to work with the authorities. An objection has been raised. So the last word has not yet been spoken.
Original item:
If you want to bring an Android smartphone onto the market, you have to enter into a patent license agreement. Just such an agreement was signed by Nokia and Oppo a few years ago. In June 2021, this deal expired because both parties not agree on a new license payment could. Allegedly, Oppo paid Nokia 3 euros for each smartphone in order to be able to use the Nokia patents (source: GizChina). It is currently unclear which side caused the deal to be renewed. Did Nokia want to pay more money or Oppo less? Now it goes to court.
Nokia has Oppo flooded in Germany with 24 lawsuits. Lawsuits are now being filed in various German courts, including Düsseldorf, where many Chinese smartphone manufacturers have established their European base. In addition to Germany, lawsuits were also filed in France, Great Britain and India. Both sides see themselves in the right and the error is not on their own side, as has been announced in two statements (source: Golem).
In the video you can see Oppo’s current flagship smartphone:
Will there be a ban on the sale of Oppo smartphones?
If Nokia’s lawsuits are successful in Germany, Oppo smartphones could be banned from sale. There Oppo in Germany is currently trying to gain a foothold and launches different models, that would be a major setback. Time will tell whether the two companies can come to an agreement or whether the situation will escalate in court.