Full Breakdown
HP and Huawei Sign Multiyear Wi-Fi Patent Cross-Licensing Deal
8/26/2026, 8:05:29 AM
Core Event: Global Patent Cross-Licensing Agreement
On August 26 2026, HP Inc. and Huawei Technologies announced a multiyear global agreement that licenses each company’s Wi-Fi-related patents to the other. The deal gives HP the right to use certain Huawei Wi-Fi patents in its PCs and other products, while Huawei receives reciprocal rights to use HP’s patents. Neither party disclosed financial terms or the exact list of patents covered.
Background & Context
Huawei was added to the U.S. Entity List in 2019, restricting its access to U.S.-origin technology and suppliers. Despite the blacklist, Huawei remains a major holder of standard-essential patents (SEPs) for Wi-Fi standards. In 2025 Huawei sued HP at the Unified Patent Court in Europe, alleging unauthorized use of a Wi-Fi 6 patent. HP later joined the Sisvel Wi-Fi 6 patent pool in November 2025, ending related litigation and gaining access to roughly 2,000 patents needed for Wi-Fi 6 products. The new bilateral agreement follows that settlement and expands licensing to include newer Wi-Fi 7 patents.
Data & Statistics
- The Sisvel pool, which HP joined in 2025, contains about 2,000 Wi-Fi-related patents.
- Huawei reported that more than 1.6 billion consumer devices had used its Wi-Fi inventions by the end of 2025.
- Huawei’s royalty rate for its Wi-Fi 7 patent program is $0.50 per device.
- HP, based in Palo Alto, California, holds a 21.3 % share of the global PC market, ranking second behind Lenovo according to Gartner data.
Verbatim Quotes
- “This agreement is a strong testament to Huawei’s persistent independent innovation in cutting-edge fields in information and communications technology,” — Alan Fan, Huawei’s Chief Intellectual Property Officer
Impact and Industry Significance
The cross-licensing deal demonstrates that SEPs can be exchanged between U.S. and Chinese firms even amid broader geopolitical tensions. By securing Huawei’s Wi-Fi patents, HP reduces the risk of future litigation and ensures compliance with FRAND (fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory) licensing obligations for standards-based products. For Huawei, the reciprocal rights expand its access to HP’s patent portfolio, supporting its broader IP-monetization strategy despite U.S. trade restrictions that limit hardware sales. The agreement also signals to other technology companies that standard-essential licensing remains a viable pathway for collaboration across political divides.
What’s Next
HP is scheduled to release its earnings on Thursday morning Beijing time, where analysts may comment on the financial impact of the new licensing arrangement.
