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Acer and ASUS have suspended direct online sales of many laptops and desktop PCs in Germany after a Munich court ruling in Nokia’s favour over H.265 (HEVC) patents.
The decision has already removed affected products from both brands’ official German storefronts and product pages. The move has disrupted their German direct channels.
The Munich I Regional Court gave the order on January 22, 2026. The court granted Nokia an injunction after it found Acer and ASUS did not act as “willing licensees” under FRAND requirements.
The ruling hits the manufacturers’ direct sales channels. Customers now see missing listings or unavailable purchase options on the German sites for certain laptops and desktop PCs. The change has also affected pages that usually link to the checkout process.
The injunction does not automatically clear third-party shelves. German retailers can keep selling existing stock, so buyers may still find some models through retail partners. However, limits on new supply can tighten availability if the legal process runs longer.
Existing owners in Germany do not face changes to day-to-day use. The dispute covers sales and distribution, not a recall of devices already in consumers’ hands.
Nokia has linked the German ruling to a broader push on video coding licensing. It has said it filed actions against Acer, ASUS, and Hisense in Germany and at the Unified Patent Court over alleged use of its video coding technologies.
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Streaming and video conferencing platforms use H.265, also called HEVC, to compress video. The ITU says H.265 evolved from earlier standards to deliver higher compression for streaming, communication, and videoconferencing.
As HEVC is part of a common standard, device makers often need licences to ship compliant implementations. Nokia says it holds a large portfolio of video technology patents. It includes standard-essential patents for codecs such as H.264, H.265, and H.266, plus related implementation patents.
Nokia also points to the scale of its multimedia research. It says it has created almost 5,000 multimedia inventions since 2000. It also says it has invested over €150 billion in R&D since 2000, with annual R&D spending over €4 billion.
In the German dispute, Nokia’s claims rely on standard-essential patent licensing for HEVC. Public descriptions of the litigation reference multiple HEVC patents asserted in Germany and at the Unified Patent Court, including EP 2 375 749.
Nokia has framed licensing as the quickest route back to normal sales. It said, “We seek fair compensation for the use of our technology.” It also said its “door is always open for good-faith negotiations.”
Acer said it respects intellectual property and has temporarily suspended sales in Germany for affected products. It said it is reviewing further legal steps to reach a solution. It added that other categories remain available, including monitors, routers, e-scooters, and accessories.
Hisense avoided the same immediate disruption by taking a licence earlier in January 2026. That agreement resolved its dispute with Nokia and reduced its exposure to similar restrictions.
Next steps now depend on legal challenges and licensing talks. Acer and ASUS have signalled plans to challenge the decision, while a negotiated licence would reopen direct sales sooner than extended litigation.
