Apple and Nokia have agreed to a new patent license agreement that will allow Apple to use Nokia's patented inventions in 5G and other technologies. The deal will replace the previous one expiring at the end of this year.
Nokia owns over 20,000 patents, including 5,500 related to 5G technology. Nokia offers its patents on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms, meaning other companies can license them for a fee.
Apple and Nokia have a long history of patent disputes and settlements. In 2009, Apple sued Nokia for allegedly copying the iPhone design, while Nokia sued Apple for infringing on its patents. They reached a settlement in 2011. Then in 2016, they sued each other again over patent royalties before reaching another settlement in 2017. That involved a USD 2 billion payment from Apple to Nokia, and brought Withings products back to the Apple Store.
The new agreement covers 5G and other technologies for a multi-year period. Nokia said it will receive payments from Apple but did not disclose the terms of the deal.