Chinese smartphone brand OPPO has reached an agreement with Nokia to license its patents for use in its smartphones. This agreement will allow OPPO to use Nokia’s 5G technology in its devices. This will help the company to expand its presence in the global market. Also, OnePlus, a subsidiary of OPPO, has announced its return to the German market. Recall that last year, OPPO lost a patent dispute with Nokia. For this reason, the company including OnePlus had to suspend its business in multiple European markets. After a few months, OPPO and Nokia now have a patent agreement deal. OnePlus is now back in the affected countries after a two-year hiatus.
OPPO’s agreement with Nokia
OPPO’s agreement with Nokia is a significant development for the company. Nokia is a leading player in the 5G technology space, and its patents are highly sought after by smartphone brands. By licensing Nokia’s patents, OPPO will be able to use its 5G technology in its devices. This will help the company to compete with other smartphone manufacturers in the global market.
The agreement between OPPO and Nokia is also a win for Nokia. The Finnish company has been struggling to compete with other players in the smartphone market, and licensing its patents to other brands is a way for it to generate revenue. The agreement with OPPO is the latest in a series of licensing deals that Nokia has signed with other smartphone manufacturers.
Feng Ying, Chief Intellectual Property Officer at OPPO, stated,
“We are pleased to have reached this global patent cross-license agreement with Nokia, which includes cross-licensing for 5G standard-essential patents. This agreement reflects the mutual recognition and respect for each other’s intellectual property and lays the foundation for future collaboration between OPPO and Nokia. OPPO continues to advocate for reasonable royalty fees and a long-term approach to intellectual property that supports the resolution of disputes through amicable negotiations and mutual respect for the value of all intellectual property.”
Jenni Lukander, President of Nokia Technologies, said:
“We are delighted to have reached a cross-license agreement with OPPO that reflects the mutual respect for each other’s intellectual property and Nokia’s investments in R&D and contributions to open standards. OPPO is one of the leading companies in the global smartphone market and we look forward to working together to bring further innovation to their users around the world. The new agreement – along with the other major smartphone agreements we have concluded over the past year – will provide long-term financial stability to our licensing business.”
Gizchina News of the week
OnePlus returns to the German market
Tipster Max Jambor discovered that OnePlus Germany’s official website has started selling the foldable phone OnePlus Open. It has also launched pre-order pages for OnePlus 12 and OnePlus 12R. This marks that OnePlus has officially returned to the German market.
However, the German official websites of OPPO and Vivo still show information that their products are not sold in this market. These websites have no product lists at all. Nevertheless, considering that OPPO and Nokia have just reached an agreement, the two companies are also expected to resume sales in Germany in the coming days.
This patent dispute has arguably hit OPPO the hardest, as the sales ban comes just before the release of its flagship Find X6 Pro phone. While the Find X7 Ultra recently launched in China, OPPO told Android Authority last week that it still has no plans to bring the phone to Europe due to its patent agreement with Nokia.
Implications for OPPO and OnePlus
The agreement between OPPO and Nokia and the return of OnePlus to the German market have significant implications for both companies. For OPPO, the agreement with Nokia will help it to expand its presence in the global market. The use of Nokia’s 5G technology in its devices will give OPPO an edge over other smartphone manufacturers and help it to compete in the highly competitive smartphone market.
For OnePlus, the return to the German market is a significant development. Germany is one of the largest smartphone markets in Europe, and its absence from the market has hurt OnePlus’ sales in the region. With its return, OnePlus will be able to compete with other smartphone manufacturers in the German market and expand its presence in Europe.
Conclusion
OPPO’s agreement with Nokia and the return of OnePlus to the German market are significant developments for both companies. The agreement with Nokia will help OPPO to expand its presence in the global market. Also, the return of OnePlus to the German market will help it to compete with other smartphone manufacturers in Europe. These developments are a testament to the growing importance of the smartphone market. It also shows the need for companies to innovate and compete in this highly competitive space.
