Nokia, Apple Sign Long-Term Patent License Agreement

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New Delhi: Nokia has signed a new patent license agreement with Apple which will replace the current license that is due to expire at the end of 2023. Apple sued Nokia in 2009 for attempting to copy the iPhone as Nokia sued Apple for copyright violations. They settled in 2011. In 2016, they again filed lawsuits before reaching a deal in 2017 where Apple paid $2 billion to Nokia.

The new license pact covers Nokia’s fundamental inventions in 5G and other technologies. Nokia will “receive payments from Apple for a multi-year period.”

“We are delighted to have concluded a long-term patent license agreement with Apple on an amicable basis. The agreement reflects the strength of Nokia’s patent portfolio, decades-long investments in R&D, and contributions to cellular standards and other technologies,” said Jenni Lukander, President of Nokia Technologies.

Nokia’s industry-leading patent portfolio is built on more than 140 billion euros invested in R&D since 2000 and is composed of around 20,000 patent families, including over 5,500 patent families declared essential to 5G. 

Nokia contributes its inventions to open standards in return for the right to license them on fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms. In the 2016 lawsuit, Nokia had accused Apple of infringing on dozens of patents it owns, as well as patents owned by Nokia subsidiaries. 

Apple has had a licensing deal with Nokia in place since 2011 after the two settled their last patent dispute.