OPPO and OnePlus Banned in Germany and Other Countries

We don’t have access to Oppo phones in the United States. We do, however, have access to OnePlus phones. However, most Europeans have access to both OnePlus and Oppo phones. Unfortunately, this is no longer the situation in Germany. A pending patent action by Nokia (the Finnish equipment supplier, not HMD Global, which owns the Nokia smartphone brand) effectively actioned Oppo and OnePlus bans in Germany.

The German court’s ban on Oppo and OnePlus has nothing to do with money laundering or misappropriation of funds, but rather with a patent dispute between Nokia and the Chinese smartphone makers.

The action was initiated by Nokia, who alleges that Oppo/OnePlus phones infringe on a Nokia-owned 5G patent.

In July, the Mannheim district court took the initiative, stating that if OPPO and OnePlus could reach a deal with Nokia about the patents, the ban would be lifted. Given where we are today, no such agreement has been achieved, resulting in a smartphone ban in Germany for both Chinese businesses as of August 5. Both firms’ German websites are now bereft of cellphones.

Nokia is expanding its case against BBK Electronics companies as part of the continuing patent battle. Nokia will intervene in France, Spain, Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, implying that OPPO and OnePlus may face more sales restrictions across Europe if the situation is not resolved.