Finnish telecommunications company Nokia and US-based e-commerce and tech giant Amazon have reached a settlement over a global patent dispute concerning streaming video technologies.
This agreement effectively resolves all litigation between the two companies across multiple jurisdictions, including the US, UK, Germany, India, and the European Unified Patent Court (UPC).
The settlement, announced on March 31, covers the use of Nokia’s video technologies in Amazon’s streaming services and devices, including Prime Video and Twitch. While the exact terms of the agreement remain confidential, both companies have confirmed that a multi-year patent licensing deal has been signed.
Nokia initiated legal action against Amazon in 2023, alleging that the company had used its patented video compression, content delivery, and recommendation technologies without proper authorisation. Lawsuits were filed in multiple regions, including a case before the UPC and the US International Trade Commission (ITC).
Amazon then accused Nokia of misusing its standard-essential patents (SEPs) by seeking to block the sale of products rather than offering fair and reasonable licensing terms. The legal battle intensified when Amazon filed a countersuit in the US, alleging that Nokia had infringed its cloud computing patents.
During the litigation process, Nokia secured significant victories in courts across Germany and the US. In February, the Düsseldorf Regional Court ruled in Nokia’s favour, determining that Amazon’s Prime Video service violated a Nokia patent related to multimedia service provisioning. This resulted in an injunction against Amazon in Germany.
Additionally, in December 2024, the US ITC found four of Nokia’s video-related patents to be valid and infringed by Amazon. The commission recommended an exclusion order, potentially barring the importation of Amazon’s infringing products into the US.
The settlement displays Nokia’s bold stance in defending its intellectual property rights. The company has previously taken similar legal action against other tech giants, including HP and Lenovo, as part of its broader strategy to monetise its vast patent portfolio.
To date, Nokia claims to have developed nearly 5,000 inventions enabling multimedia products and services, investing over €150 billion (A$259 billion) in research and development since 2000.
For Amazon, the resolution ensures the continued availability of its Prime Video and streaming devices without the threat of legal roadblocks. The company has been expanding its video streaming business, making it a key competitor in the global streaming market.
