China’s fourth biggest handset brand has acquired some of Nokia’s peskiest patents from the smartphone wars
Last month, we learned that Acacia Research — one of the most renowned non-practicing entities (NPEs) from patent monetisation’s floruit — was back in buying action, acquiring a portfolio from Singapore-based Transpacific IP.
Acacia has been going through something of a renaissance lately following several years in the post-Alice, post-America Invents wilderness. The company’s Transpacific purchase followed its initiation of multiple new assertion campaigns in the latter half of 2018, several IP-focused executive hires, and the acquisition of a 5% stake in fellow NPE Immersion. More recently, it struck a US$400 million strategic partnership with investment firm Starboard Value and signed Xiaomi to a settlement and license deal in China.
Divestments will also have a part to play in the NPE’s return to form — and it will be looking to China for opportunities to offload assets to patent-hungry young tech companies.
As reported by IAM, Dongguan-based Vivo — which hovered between third and fourth place among China’s smartphone makers in terms of worldwide shipments last year — recently acquired hundreds of patents from Nokia.
