Asus and Acer temporarily suspend computer sales in Germany

Following a ruling by the Munich Regional Court, Asus and Acer have temporarily suspended direct sales of selected laptops and desktops in Germany due to a dispute with Nokia over standard-essential patents related to the H.265 video codec, also known as HEVC.

The court ruled that Acer and Asus had not demonstrated a willingness to enter into a licensing agreement on FRAND terms. FRAND means fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory licensing terms. Based on its findings, the court granted an injunction.

Acer confirmed to PC Welt that it has temporarily suspended direct sales of certain products in Germany. The company is exploring legal options and further steps to resolve the dispute. Products not covered by the decision remain available in the official online store. Asus has not yet made an official statement, but according to HardwareLuxx, the German Asus online store is currently unavailable due to "service improvements."

The ban applies to the manufacturer, but not to independent retailers. They can still sell existing stock through retail channels, while there could be disruptions in replenishment of stocks if direct supply remains suspended.

This is not the first time that a lost patent dispute with Nokia has led to sales restrictions. Amazon, for example, lost a court case in 2024 and had to adapt its Fire TV Stick media devices. OnePlus was also banned from sales in Germany after losing a patent dispute with Nokia in 2023.

Nokia said in a statement that it was seeking fair compensation for the use of its technology and was ready to continue negotiations with Asus and Acer. The statement also mentioned Hisense, which had already obtained a license in related proceedings.