Nokia has sued Amazon.com in courts across three continents, alleging the e-commerce giant uses its technologies in streaming services and devices without authorisation.
The suits were filed in the US, Germany, India, the UK and the European unified patent court, Arvin Patel, Nokia’s chief licensing officer said in a statement on the company’s website. Separately, a suit was also filed against HP in the US over video-related technologies, he said.
“We’ve been in discussions with each of Amazon and HP for a number of years, but sometimes litigation is the only way to respond to companies who choose not to play by the rules followed and respected by others,” said Patel.
Companies providing video streaming services or streaming devices enjoy “huge benefits” from Nokia’s research, which in turn needs to be compensated accordingly, Patel said.
Amazon and HP didn’t immediately reply to emails seeking comment.
Nokia said litigation is never its first choice and that the vast majority of its patent licensing agreements are agreed amicably. But regulators such as the European Commission have made efforts in recent years to cut down on the number of disputes over technology such as mobile telephony that end up in court — arguing that protracted disputes can stymie innovation.
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In June, Nokia announced a licence agreement with Apple, without disclosing the terms. — Karin Matussek, (c) 2023 Bloomberg LP