Last month it was announced that smartphones from OPPO and OnePlus may no longer be sold in Germany. Both brands have infringed Nokia patents, a German court ruled. Now it is known that OPPO and OnePlus have lost the lawsuit and they have both stopped their phone sales in Germany. There are rumors that Nokia has also started lawsuits in the Netherlands against both subsidiaries of BBK Electronics. android world OPPO Netherlands and OnePlus Netherlands asked for a response and the first manufacturer has responded.
Why is Nokia filing a lawsuit against OPPO and OnePlus?
OnePlus and OPPO have infringed Nokia’s patents for 4G and 5G technology. Nokia filed a lawsuit for this in Germany and last Friday it was announced that the Finnish company had won it. As a result, the phones have already disappeared on the German OPPO . website and the German OnePlus Online Store.
Parties often reach an agreement before products are definitively removed from the store shelves. That is not yet the case here. More about the content of this lawsuit can be found here.
- Why OPPO and OnePlus phones are now illegal in Germany
Are more manufacturers at risk?
Nokia has already sued more companies that fall under the same BBK holding company as OPPO and OnePlus, namely Vivo and Realme.
- “After OPPO and OnePlus, these phones may also disappear in Germany”
Response from OnePlus Netherlands
OnePlus Netherlands has just responded to questions that Androidworld asked them. OnePlus indicates that the license fees that Nokia is asking are too high. That fee would be 2.50 euros per smartphone.
Is it true that lawsuits are also pending in the Netherlands and Belgium?
Answer OnePlus: None
What is OPPO Netherlands’ response to these developments?
Answer OnePlus: “OnePlus strictly adheres to laws and regulations in all markets in which we operate. As a leading technology brand, we recognize the importance of intellectual property in driving innovation and are committed to fair access to essential patents. Nokia’s demand for an unreasonably high fee detracts from this. We are actively working with the relevant parties to resolve the ongoing legal issue.
While sales and marketing of the relevant products are suspended, OnePlus remains committed to the German market and will continue our operations. Meanwhile, OnePlus users in Germany can continue to enjoy our products and related services such as regular software updates and our after-sales service as before.”
Do we run the risk of a sales ban on OPPO phones in the Netherlands and Belgium?
Answer OnePlus: “The ban is only limited to the sale and marketing of certain products in Germany and will not affect other European markets.”
Response from OPPO Netherlands
OPPO Netherlands has also responded to questions that Androidworld asked them.
Is it true that lawsuits are also pending in the Netherlands and Belgium?
OPPO’s response: “Unfortunately, we are unable to share details about pending legal cases.”
Do we run the risk of a sales ban on OPPO phones in the Netherlands and Belgium?
“The current ban only applies to relevant products from OPPO’s own channels in the German market. Other markets are not affected. Our long-term commitment to the European market remains unchanged and we will continue to proactively work with stakeholders to resolve the ongoing matter.”
What is OPPO Netherlands’ response to these developments?
“As the owner of many 5G patents, OPPO attaches great importance to the role of intellectual property in innovation. We have a history of cross-licensing with many leading companies and are committed to fostering a healthy intellectual property ecosystem. Our long-term commitment to the German market remains unchanged and we are proactively working with stakeholders to resolve the ongoing case. Apart from the discontinuation of sales and marketing of relevant products through OPPO’s own channels, OPPO will continue operations in Germany. In the meantime, users can continue to use OPPO products, access after-sales services, receive future OS updates, and much more.”
It is no exception that it comes to this in the tech world. It is more common for companies to fail to agree on the terms of a license and then fight it out in court. Last year there was also a legal battle in the Netherlands between KPN and six tech companies and for a while no ASUS phones were allowed to be sold in the Netherlands.
– Thanks for information from Androidworld. Source