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Motorola phones face US market ban owing to patent dispute
- Motorola phone sales could be banned in the US if an ITC ruling in favor of Ericsson is upheld.
- Ericsson has claimed that Motorola’s phones infringe upon its 5G wireless communications patents.
- In an initial ruling, the ITC has found that Lenovo-owned Motorola violates Ericsson’s patents.
The US International Trade Commission (ITC) has found that Lenovo-owned Motorola violates Ericsson’s patents. If the ITC’s decision is upheld, the country could be banned from importing Motorola phones.
Reuters reports that an initial ruling by an ITC judge, issued on December 17, acknowledged that Motorola phones infringe upon Sweden-based Ericsson’s patents related to 5G tech.
A final ruling on Ericsson’s case against Lenovo and Motorola is expected in April next year. The complaint was filed last year, alleging phones in the Moto G, Edge, and Razr families violate Ericsson’s wireless communication patents. Lenovo has previously denied the allegations, but the company has yet to issue any new statements about the latest ruling in Ericsson’s favor.
According to Conterpoint’s November market share report, Motorola held a 14% share in the US market in Q3 2024. Motorola’s share increased by 21% compared to last year, due to an improved prepaid performance from the Moto G Play 2024. Given its sizeable presence in the US smartphone space, a potential sales ban could be devastating for Motorola. However, as we’ve seen in patent disputes before, it’s possible that the two companies will reach some form of settlement before a full-force ban goes into effect.
That said, Lenovo and Motorola are also fighting patent disputes in South America, the UK, and North Carolina. Ericsson has won in countries like Brazil and Colombia, where sales of Motorola phones have been banned.