Are Motorola phones about to be banned in the USA?

We may see this happen after the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled that some of Lenovo’s Motorola equipment infringed Ericsson’s 5G patents. If the ruling is upheld, it could reportedly result in the phones being banned from being imported into the United States Reuters.

The preliminary ruling by an International Trade Commission judge marks a major victory for Sweden’s Ericsson in its global patent battle with Lenovo. As you know, the Chinese Lenovo giant owns Motorola.

The controversy centers on 5G wireless technology, so the stakes are high. Models such as the Moto G, Edge and popular Razr series are at the center of the accusations, with Ericsson claiming they use its patented technology without proper licenses. Ouch!

The International Trade Commission will issue a final decision on the matter in April. While that initial ruling favored Ericsson, another International Trade Commission judge ruled in favor of Lenovo in a related case last month, suggesting the outcome is far from certain. While I’m not a big fan of Motorola, I’d hate to see their smartphones banned from import – it would only further limit choice in the mid-range and high-end phone markets. Of course, using patented technology without permission is also bad, so the two companies had better figure it out.

For example, OnePlus and Oppo devices have been banned from sale in many countries due to similar 5G disputes. in summer, Oppo and Ericsson sign global 5G patent cross-licensing agreementthis is great.

Back to the legal battle between Ericsson and Lenovo. It also includes litigation in the United Kingdom, South America and North Carolina. In Brazil and Colombia, courts have issued preliminary orders banning sales of Lenovo smartphones, although a U.S. appeals court recently reopened Lenovo’s lawsuit to block those bans.