Asus confirms sales suspension for select laptops and PCs after Nokia HEVC ruling

After a Munich court ruling, Asus has now issued an official statement outlining the impact on its German operations. This Munich I Regional Court ruling resulted in a temporary injunction over a patent dispute with Nokia. Besides Asus, Acer, and Hisense were affected, and among the two, the latter brand has already signed a license agreement.

Acer, on the other hand, recently announced that it has suspended the direct sale of the affected laptops and PCs in Germany, and now Asus has followed suit. Asus says that the injunction has led to the suspension of its official German website and online store.

The company has confirmed that the ruling, issued under case no. 7 O 4102/25, applies to select products. These are the products that have HEVC technology implementation. They won't be available to purchase directly from Asus for the time being. Third-party retailers, however, can continue to sell the current stock, but there's a slim chance that the inventory will get replenished quickly (Vivobook 18 M1807HA curr. €899 on Amazon.de).

Asus further adds that after-sales services will remain fully operational in Germany. That includes warranty claims, even for the selected products that have fallen under this ruling.

For those who missed our previous coverage, the Munich court found that neither Asus nor Acer met the standards expected of a willing FRAND licensee. This framework governs fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory licensing terms. As a result, the court has granted injunctive relief.

Getting back to Asus' statement, the company shared that it's evaluating further legal options to reach a resolution. The company has not, however, shared any concrete details on how long the sales suspension will last. It will likely depend on the outcome of licensing negotiations.