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Meizu still trying to avoid patent payments, now being sued in U.S and Europe

AndiOctober 15, 2016

Meizu’s continued ignorance of patents is still biting them on the rear with the company now seeing legal action against them in Europe!

For years Meizu used Samsung chipsets to avoid having to pay Qualcomm for patents, but as faster LTE networks took off and people wanted access to faster data connections a new plan was needed.

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That new plan included ditching Samsung in favour of Mediatek and quietly, if not officially, release Meizu devices in various international markets. Obviously it didn’t take long for Qualcomm to catch on and they are now taking legal action against the Zhuhai phone maker.

Legal battles are taking place against Meizu in North America, France and Germany, areas where Meizu has “kind of officially” made their phones and products available.

Qualcomm state that Meizu hasn’t attempted to negotiate with them leading to this legal dispute. So far Meizu have been silent on the issue.

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About the author

Andi

Moose
October 15, 2016
I think there should be SOME patent protection to recoup development costs but it often goes too far and then becomes a form of anti-competitive behaviour in line with monopoly control or protectionism which should be outlawed and is when it is obviously anti-competitive.
- MaxPower
  October 15, 2016
  Well said.
  But that’s how America works and I don’t think it will ever charge
  - Zero
    October 16, 2016
    Until USA loses a big case against themselves forcing to make changes to the way of how they works
  - NextHype
    October 17, 2016
    Considering how hard they’re trying to apply this model to the trans-atlantic economical partnership, it seems you’re right on the “never change” part.
Kekrembec
October 15, 2016
I don’t understand why Meizu uses crappy MTK with patent contravention. In addition, phones have really high prices as SD phones. Kiss my ass Meizu.
- Lut
  October 15, 2016
  I think you write about pro 6. Yes, you are right! Meizu gets high profits with mtk.
- Aristotelis Tz
  October 15, 2016
  Mediatek owns a part of meizu. I used to have a mx4 and it was without any doubt a quality phone. Recently i examined a pro 6 and they quality was there.
- mf1gt3r
  October 15, 2016
  Crappy??? Hmmm. I guess all the companies that use mediatek processors are stupid then. Am I right?

Angry Mobile Nerd
October 15, 2016
“intellectual property, what’s that?”
Fox Hunter
October 15, 2016
Why should Meizu pay Qualcomm for using Mediatek chips? That does not make sense. Qualcomm is just a patent troll. Go to hell Qualcomm!
I’m supporting Meizu! Go Meizu! My next phone will be a Meizu!!
- balcobomber25
  October 17, 2016
  Has to do with network technology not the chips they used. Qualcomm holds several thousand patents with regards to 4G technology. My issue with the lawsuit is two of the countries they are suing in (US and Germany), Meizu doesn’t operate in.

Wolvie
October 15, 2016
I believe it is more or less are the same problem with Xiaomi Redmi Note 2-3 with Mediatek Soc in India where they got sued by patent troll Erricsson.
The solution then was releasing Redmi Note 3 Pro with Qualcomm to prevent this stupid patent dispute and again later on Xiaomi made a very stupid blunder again when they released Redmi Note 4 with mediatek.
- Fox Hunter
  October 16, 2016
  I say we boycott patent trolls like Erricsson, Qualcomm and so on! These patent trolls need to be taught a lesson.
  - me
    October 17, 2016
    Erricsson is not a patent Troll. Erricssons profile is “radio”. They are one of the biggest in radio area. Samsung, Ericsson, Nokia and Huawei are the biggest developers on earth on this area. In case of Nokia and Ericsson few people know that they still developing 2g,3g,4g and they still spent a lot of money for research, specially in Europe (Sweden, Poland, Finland, Czech Republic, SLowakia…)

balcobomber25
October 16, 2016
It will be interesting to see what happens with this lawsuit. Qualcomm is suing them in markets where Meizu doesn’t officially operate. If this lawsuit proceeds it will be open season for patent trolls everywhere.
- NextHype
  October 17, 2016
  Meizu officially commercialized a few phones in Europe, and they have an official website for french customers (I bought an MX5 in France for family).
  So it makes sense for QC to sue Meizu in France : it may not be a patent troll.
  - balcobomber25
    October 17, 2016
    They have no such thing in the US or Germany though which is more what I was getting at. If either of those countries allow this to go through it will open pandora’s box for patent trolls.
David Davtyan
October 16, 2016
It’s stupid that Meizu should pay Qualcomm that they do not use their chip. Why should they?
- Vlada
  October 17, 2016
  Because they use technology patented by Qualcomm? It doesn’t matter who produced it. But if MediaTek doesn’t pay for patents then Meizu is obligated to do it. That’s the law.
  Of course the law is bad and patents should not exist at all. They only allow big producers like Apple, Microsoft, Intel or Qualcomm to destroy (or at least heavily harm) their competition.