A few days ago we reported that OnePlus and Oppo — companies that, alongside Vivo Mobile and Realme, are part of the BBK Electronics conglomerate — could leave the European market for not having renewed Nokia’s patent licensing. The companies have assured that they will not leave Europe, but now OPPO confirms that it will be suspending its activities in Germany in the coming days.
In a statement to German journalist Andreas Floemer, OPPO clarified the situation and categorically stated that “it is not leaving the German market” and that the company “is negotiating with Nokia” to resolve the problem. Check out the full text:
“OPPO is not pulling out of the German market, but business has been suspended due to the current determination in the German market. OPPO is still proactively negotiating with Nokia and we believe the matter will be resolved eventually.”
The dispute between Nokia and OPPO is not complicated
Months ago, more precisely in October 2022, Nokia published an open letter to everyone stating that “OPPO can easily resolve our patent licensing dispute” by stating that the company benefits from years of research and billions of euros invested in innovation, which “refuses to play by the rules” and, as if that were not enough, expose that “OPPO continues to enjoy these benefits while refusing to pay fair compensation for innovations created by others.”
On March 27, rumors indicated that OPPO and OnePlus would leave Europe, starting with countries such as Germany, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. On the same day the companies stated that “they are committed to (acting in) all existing European markets and the United Kingdom.”
Although the company is promising to remain in Europe, we don’t know if the plans will follow as expected. It remains to wait for the development of the story and follow the next chapters, waiting for a good outcome – preferably with the resolution of the problem and the continuity of OPPO’s presence in Europe for greater competitiveness.
A few months ago OPPO presented its first foldable smartphone in the region: the Find N2 Flip, a competitor to the height of Samsung’s Z Flip 4 with a slightly higher price: €1,199 at launch against €1,099 for its main rival — only the Samsung model is sold in Brazil so far, and can be found at around R$ 4,500 in offers.
It is worth remembering that the fourth largest cell phone manufacturer in the world has been present in Brazil since July 2022 with launches that include the OPPO Reno 7 (review), OPPO A17 and OPPO A77 (review). The arrival of the foldable Find N2 Flip has not been confirmed.
Source: Andreas Floemer
