Honor signs a 5G patent license agreement with Nokia

Nokia has disclosed that it has entered into a 5G patent license pact with Honor, covering fundamental innovations in both companies' 5G and other cellular technologies, as per the official press statement. This marks Nokia’s fourth major smartphone contract over the last 12 months, solidifying its position as a leading patent licensing company. The Finnish telecommunications company has an industry-leading patent portfolio comprising roughly 20,000 patent families, including over 6,000 patent families deemed essential to 5G. The specific terms of the Honor-Nokia agreement are confidential. It is noteworthy that Honor opted for this path, unlike Oppo, another Chinese firm, which has been embroiled in legal struggles with Nokia in parts of Europe, with adverse outcomes. The speculation is that Oppo might be the next to follow this route. Nokia had extended its cross-license patent agreement with Samsung in early 2023, followed by a similar pact with Apple in July. Now, with Honor as a collaborator, there will be no patent infringement lawsuits from Nokia, unlike the case with Oppo.