Acer and Asus have stopped selling computers in Germany due to a patent lawsuit with Nokia

German court granted Nokia’s request, issuing an order temporarily suspending the sale of Acer and Asus desktop computers and laptops in Germany. The court directs that both companies may not “offer, place on the market, use, import or possess” these devices in the country.

What this means for buyers
- Retailers are unaffected: stores already stocked with Acer and Asus models can continue selling them.

- Inventory availability: most outlets have existing stock, so consumers will not feel a change immediately.

- Long‑term shortage: since new units cannot be imported, there may be a scarcity of certain models in the coming months unless the court issues a final ruling or the parties reach an agreement with Nokia.

Basis of the dispute
The legal conflict concerns the High‑Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC / H.265) standard – a mandatory component for most modern GPUs and operating systems.

- Nokia claims that Acer, Asus and TV manufacturer Hisense infringe three patents related to HEVC.

- Hisense already obtained a license in January, but Acer and Asus continue to contest the legality of using the technology.

HEVC is considered a *Standard Essential Patent* (SEP). This means the standard cannot be implemented without it, and HEVC support is almost mandatory for high‑quality video playback on PCs.

Why OEM manufacturers faced the issue
Previously device suppliers typically covered all licensing requirements for their customers.

- Now Acer and Asus find themselves unable to obtain an HEVC license because Nokia requires compliance with *FRAND* (Fair, Reasonable and Non‑Discriminatory) terms.

- Germany adopted a strict interpretation of these conditions and found both companies infringing the patents.

Conclusion: Until Germany permits the import of new Acer and Asus models, consumers may face limited choices. The court’s decision will determine when these brands can reenter the market.