Nokia and Acer Resolve Video Codec Patent Dispute

Patent Agreements: Nokia and Acer Conclude Litigation

Finnish technology giant Nokia and Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Acer have reached a licensing agreement, bringing an end to a multi-year patent dispute concerning the use of Nokia’s video codecs. This agreement specifically addresses the licensing of technologies essential for the hardware acceleration of H.264 and H.265 video codecs in Acer devices.

Settlement Details and Background

As reported by ip fray, while the core terms of the deal have been agreed upon, certain aspects of the licensing fees will be determined through arbitration. This settlement marks the conclusion of a conflict Nokia has pursued since 2025 with Acer, Asus, and Hisense over the licensing of its video codec technologies.

In early 2026, a German court issued an injunction prohibiting the sale and advertisement of certain Acer and Asus products in Germany that utilized Nokia’s patented technologies without a license. A British appellate court subsequently affirmed that Nokia had fulfilled its obligations to license on FRAND (fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory) terms. The injunction led to a sales hiatus for affected Acer products in Germany for over four months.

Resumption of Sales and Precedents

With the agreement on licensing fees now in place, Acer is cleared to resume sales of its products incorporating Nokia’s technologies. Previously, Hisense also resolved its dispute with Nokia through an out-of-court settlement, setting a precedent that Acer has now followed.