Be the first - Pre-order the Galaxy S25 Ultra today! Follow us on Google news!

SamMobile has affiliate and sponsored partnerships. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn a commission.

News For You
News For You
Notifications

Nokia could force Vivo out of Germany to Samsung’s benefit

Business
By 

Last updated: April 12th, 2023 at 13:09 UTC+02:00

As if the headwinds in the European market aren't already preventing the Chinese OEMs from competing against the likes of Samsung, a new challenge has emerged for Vivo, a leading Chinese manufacturer that has a solid position both in its home country and in markets across Asia and the Middle East.

Vivo has been unable to resolve a patent issue with Nokia and that has led to a suspension in sales of its products in the German market. The impact of this challenge is limited to Germany and not the whole of Europe, but it could force Vivo to abandon its operations in Germany altogether.

Samsung will happily go after Vivo's share if it leaves Germany

One of Nokia's 4G standard essential patents is central to the entire issue. Companies that have licensing agreements with Nokia are in the clear. Nokia has pursued legal action against those that haven't settled licensing deals with the company.

Similar action was initiated against Oppo last year. Oppo decided to leave the German market and there are no signs that it intends to come back any time soon. A Mannheim court has now awarded Nokia an injunction against Vivo which when enforced will require Vivo to suspend sales of its products in Germany.

If Vivo wants to continue selling products in Germany, it would need to enter into a cross-licensing agreement with Nokia. Vivo says that it has negotiated with Nokia about renewing the licenses but an agreement hasn't been reached so far. The company adds that it will continue its discussions with Nokia in hopes of finding a resolution while it's also preparing to lodge an appeal against the court's decision.

It remains to be seen if Vivo takes the same route as Oppo and decides to just give up on the German market. Whatever happens, Samsung remains the unintended beneficiary, as this will result in one less competitor to worry about in Germany.

Business GermanyNokiaVivo
Galaxy AI summarized

Scroll for more related content
News For You

You might also like

Samsung and Nokia sign licensing deal for video tech in smart TVs

Samsung and Nokia sign licensing deal for video tech in smart TVs

Samsung and Nokia are crossing each other's paths again, but not because of 5G or a mobile deal. Instead, Samsung will be using Nokia's proprietary video technologies for smart TVs. According to the latest news (via MSN – Reuters), Nokia and Samsung have signed a multi-year patent license agreement today. The agreement will allow Samsung […]

  • By Mihai Matei
  • 1 week ago
Samsung had the highest Q3 phone shipments in three regions

Samsung had the highest Q3 phone shipments in three regions

New market share reports for the third quarter of 2024 are coming in, revealing a year-on-year increase in shipments and the average selling price of smartphones. Shipment-wise, Samsung led three out of five regions and the global market on average. The recent Q3 2024 smartphone shipment report from Counterpoint Research suggests that Samsung had the […]

  • By Mihai Matei
  • 2 weeks ago
Samsung’s Android XR headset will have a competitor from Vivo

Samsung’s Android XR headset will have a competitor from Vivo

Earlier this month, Google and Samsung showcased Project Moohan, an extended reality (XR) headset that is made by Samsung and runs on Google’s Android XR operating system. It marks Google’s (and Samsung’s) entry into the XR market and the product based on the prototype will be a direct rival to the Apple Vision Pro and […]

  • By Abid Iqbal Shaik
  • 4 weeks ago
Vivo’s next flagship to use Samsung’s 200MP camera

Vivo’s next flagship to use Samsung’s 200MP camera

A couple of months ago, Vivo launched its current set of flagship smartphones, the Vivo X200 series. The most premium device in the lineup, the X200 Pro, has three cameras at the rear. Among those, the ultra-wide and telephoto cameras use Samsung’s sensors, the 50MP ISOCELL JN1 and the 200MP ISOCELL HP9 respectively. Soon, the […]

  • By Abid Iqbal Shaik
  • 4 weeks ago
One UI 7 beta is finally here with lots of features!

One UI 7 beta is finally here with lots of features!

After making everyone wait for months, Samsung has finally released the One UI 7.0 beta update. Based on Android 15, the new update is now live for the Galaxy S24 series (excluding FE) in Germany, South Korea, and the USA. India, Poland, and the UK will get it in a few days. The update brings a brand-new […]

  • By Asif Iqbal Shaik
  • 2 months ago
One UI 7 beta launch is tomorrow, reveals Samsung Germany

One UI 7 beta launch is tomorrow, reveals Samsung Germany

Samsung fans have been patiently waiting for the One UI 7 beta ever since the company mentioned the upcoming iteration of its software in passing at SDC 2024 in October. It had confirmed at the event that One UI 7 won't be released before next year, but the beta program would begin by the end […]

  • By Adnan Farooqui
  • 2 months ago