Acer and ASUS will no longer be able to sell some laptops and PCs in Germany. This follows a ruling by a court in Munich in January, according to reports.
At the center of this case is a patent dispute with Nokia. The company accuses Acer, ASUS, and Hisense of using its patented technology tied to HEVC (H.265), a video encoding technology, without proper licensing. Specifically, Nokia alleged that these companies infringed on patent EP2661892, which played a critical role in the ruling.
While Hisense opted to pay for the licenses, Acer and ASUS decided to appeal the decision. The impact of this ruling is already visible: Acer’s German online shop has gone offline, and ASUS has temporarily shut down its official website and store in the country following a preliminary injunction. Both companies have responded to the ruling.
In a statement, Acer stated it “respects the intellectual property of other companies and organizations. Following a ruling by the Munich I Regional Court (Case No. 7 O 4100/25 of January 22) between Nokia and Acer, we have had to temporarily suspend our sales activities in Germany for the affected products. At the same time, we are examining the possibility of pursuing further legal action to reach a fair solution as quickly as possible. While the proceedings are ongoing, we cannot comment on any further details. Numerous product categories, such as monitors, routers, e-scooters, and accessories, remain unaffected by the ruling and are available.”
Similarly, ASUS stated it “has temporarily shut down its official website and online shop in Germany following a ruling by the Munich I Regional Court (case number Munich I – 7 O 4102/25) in connection with a patent dispute with Nokia. The shutdown, which is due to a preliminary injunction, affects selected ASUS PCs and products that use High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC).”
“All customer service options in Germany remain fully available, and existing customers will continue to receive full support in complete compliance with the current court order. ASUS is currently exploring further legal avenues to reach a fair resolution as quickly as possible. ASUS stands by its position and remains committed to its customers and partners.”
So, what happens to buyers in Germany? Well, it’s not exactly known. Official channels can’t sell affected PCs for now. Third-party retailers may still have stock on their shelves or online marketplaces, but as soon as that inventory runs out, buyers may not be able to purchase those PCs until the legal situation changes.
This isn’t the first time Nokia has caused sales disruption in Germany. In the past, the company had secured rulings against brands like OnePlus and Oppo over its wireless patents, leading to temporary bans. Even Amazon faced similar restrictions in 2024 and 2025, linked to a Nokia patent.
Damilare Odedina
What will happen next depends on the outcomes of the negotiations. Acer and ASUS could seek new licensing terms with Nokia, or they can decide to continue their appeal. If they can reach an agreement, sales may continue, but if not, the ban may go on for much longer.
