The parent Company of questionable Chinese phone brands Oppo Vivo and the failed Realme are learning the hard way that stealing patented technology has its downside.
BBK Group have just pulled their flagship Realme GT 3 smartphone from the European market even before it’s launch despite bragging about the upcoming launch at Mobile World Congress back in March.In Australia the brand failed due to poor traction with retailers and consumers.
The problem for the Company that has seen a massive slump in sales of their Oppo smartphones around the world as well as in Australia was the theft of Nokia patents after the business lost a major patent infringement case last year.
BBK being pulled their latest Realme product from a full global release, as retailer after retailer across multiple European Countries dropped the Chinese Companies products. 
Overnight Realme’s European division revealed that the Companies business in Germany has slowed significantly after retailers stopped selling BBK smartphones.
The drama for the Company first unfolded late in 2021 when Nokia filed a lawsuit against Oppo and OnePlus for patent infringement in Germany.
Nokia accused the companies of using its patented technology for processing 4G and 5G signals without paying for a license.
In August 2022, a German court decided in Favor of Nokia, instructing Oppo and OnePlus to halt smartphone sales in Germany.
The court determined that the companies had violated two of Nokia’s standard essential patents (SEPs). These patents are crucial for the proper operation of 4G and 5G networks.
Vivo a brand also owned by BBK Group also ceased operations in Germany recently, resulting in the entire BBK Group exiting the country.
This has created an opportunity for manufacturers such as Nokia, Samsung and Motorola to grow market share in Europe.
OMC Electronics the Australian distributor of Oppo, Realme smartphones, who are loaded with debt, recently quit the premium smartphone market, due to poor sales and delisting by retailers claim insiders.
The exception will be the new Oppo Find N2 foldable device which will shortly have to contend with new foldable smartphones from arch-rivals Samsung and Motorola.
ChannelNews has been told by a former senior manager, that the business which recently saw several directors replaced, including Yuchen Hou the Group CEO of the local business is struggling in Australia up against a surging Motorola and Nokia.
