In May 2017, Nokia and Apple came to an agreement to cross-patent license, where Nokia provided network infrastructure products and services to Apple. In return, Apple agreed to sell Nokia health products in its physical and online stores. This settlement ended the litigation between the two companies, much to the dismay of lawyers involved.
However, the original agreement is set to expire at the end of this year. Today, Nokia has announced a new long-term patent license agreement with Apple, specifically covering Nokia’s 5G innovations and other technological advancements. The details of the agreement have not been disclosed, but Nokia has stated that it will start receiving payments from Apple starting in January 2024 and continuing for several years.
Under the expiring agreement, Apple made an upfront cash payment to Nokia (amount undisclosed) and received additional payments over the course of the agreement. Jenni Lukander, President of Nokia Technologies, expressed her satisfaction with the new agreement, stating that it reflects Nokia’s strong patent portfolio, extensive investments in research and development, and contributions to cellular standards and other technologies.
Before the iPhone, the Nokia N95 was the most feature-rich smartphone available
Between 2000 and now, Nokia has invested over 140 billion Euro ($152.9 billion) in research and development, and has accumulated 20,000 patent families. These families include 5,500 patents that are essential for 5G connectivity. Essential patents must be licensed on fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms.
When the iPhone was introduced in January 2007, Nokia was the leading smartphone brand globally. However, in 2014, Nokia sold its struggling smartphone division to Microsoft, hoping to create room for a third competitor in an industry dominated by iOS and Android. Unfortunately, Microsoft couldn’t achieve better results than Nokia due to lack of developer support.
In 2016, Microsoft sold the rights to the Nokia smartphone brand to a group led by HMD Global. Currently, Nokia and Apple do not directly compete in the smartphone industry.
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Deepak Sen is a tech enthusiast who covers the latest technological innovations, from AI to consumer gadgets. His articles provide readers with a glimpse into the ever-evolving world of technology.
