After losing its patent lawsuit with Nokia, Chinese manufacturer Oppo has decided to stop the sales of its devices in Germany. They have also decided to stop selling OnePlus devices in the country.
According to the lawsuit, Nokia accused both companies for using its patented technology without paying for a license. This is so they can process 4G and 5G signals. A German court decided in favor of Nokia, which is what led the Chinese manufacturer to stop its sales in the country.
The two companies have made changes to their Germany-based websites as a way of complying with the ruling. When you visit Oppo’s site, you’ll find that there is no mention of any hardware device. OnePlus has followed the same example and no longer lists down the phones or watches it sells. While you may still find a product page, you won’t be able to click on the “Buy Now” option. Instead, you’ll be directed to a 404 error page. If you check Oppo’s and OnePlus’ websites in other countries, things are running normally.
Spenser Blank, OnePlus’ director of communications, has responded to The Verge to confirm the report. The executive also pointed out that the reason for the lawsuit was due to “Nokia’s demand for an unreasonably high fee” on its patents.
“We are actively working with the relevant parties to resolve the ongoing legal matter. While sales and marketing of the relevant products are on hold, 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.”
Oppo spokesperson, Peter Manderfeld, echoed the same sentiment and blamed the “unreasonably high contract renewal fee” of Nokia to use its patents. Manderfeld confirmed that they are “suspending the sale and marketing of certain products through Oppo Germany’s official channels.”
It’s important to note that Oppo and OnePlus devices will continue to operate normally in Germany. Third-party resellers may also continue to offer their devices. The big question now is whether they will also stop their smartphone sales in other European countries.
Source: The Verge
