Mumbai, February 16: The Munich I Regional Court has issued an immediate injunction resulting in an Acer Asus Germany sales ban on personal computers and laptops. The ruling, delivered following a legal challenge by Nokia, found that both Taiwanese manufacturers infringed upon European patent EP 2 375 749, which is essential to the High-Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC/H.265) standard used for high-quality video playback.

The court determined that Acer and Asus failed to act as "willing licensees" under the Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory (FRAND) framework. Consequently, the companies are now prohibited from importing, marketing, or directly selling any affected desktop or laptop PCs within the German market. CVE-2026-2441: Google Chrome Gets Latest Security Update, Fixes Highly Vulnerable Zero-Day Flaw Exploited by Hackers; Check More Details.

Impact of the Acer Asus Germany Sales Ban on Consumers

While the injunction stops the manufacturers from direct sales, it does not currently extend to third-party retailers such as Amazon or MediaMarkt. These outlets are permitted to continue selling their remaining inventory until stocks are depleted. However, because the Acer Asus Germany sales ban prevents manufacturers from replenishing these stocks, a medium-term shortage is expected for both brands in the region.

In an official statement, Acer Germany confirmed it has temporarily suspended sales of affected products to comply with the Munich court's decision (Case No. 7 O 4100/25). The company noted that while certain product categories like monitors and routers remain available, it is actively examining further legal options to reach a fair solution.

Context of the Nokia Patent Dispute

The legal battle centres on standard-essential patents (SEPs) for video codecs, which are critical for streaming, video conferencing, and 4K media playback. Nokia, which holds a vast portfolio of these patents, has been aggressive in seeking licensing compliance. While other firms like Hisense settled their disputes with Nokia in January 2026, Acer and Asus chose to continue the litigation.

The dispute has also reached the UK High Court, where an interim licence rate was recently fixed at USD 0.365 per device. This figure represents a midpoint between Nokia’s demand and the manufacturers' proposal. However, the German legal system’s strict stance on injunctions means the Acer Asus Germany sales ban remains in effect regardless of ongoing proceedings in other jurisdictions.

Acer ASUS Germany Sales Ban Market Impact

The Acer Asus Germany sales ban could significantly impact the market dynamics in Germany, where the two brands hold a combined 15 per cent share of the laptop segment. If a licensing agreement is not reached soon, competitors may gain ground as buyers are forced to switch to alternative brands that have already secured the necessary HEVC rights. OpenAI Codex Users More Than Tripled Since Beginning of 2026: CEO Sam Altman.

Industry experts suggest this ruling might accelerate the shift toward royalty-free alternatives like the AV1 codec. For now, the direct availability of new Acer and Asus hardware remains blocked until a legally binding agreement with Nokia is finalised or the court order is successfully appealed.

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 16, 2026 04:25 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).