China’s Huawei, US PC maker HP sign multi-year Wi-Fi patent deal

China's Huawei Technologies and US PC maker HP Inc. have entered into a multi-year cross-license agreement covering patents used in Wi-Fi technology, including the latest Wi-Fi 7 standard. The deal grants HP access to Huawei's patents and vice versa, though specific financial terms were not disclosed. HP described the agreement as a routine licensing arrangement for technology widely used across industries, not indicative of a broader commercial relationship with Huawei.

Standard-essential patents, such as the one in this agreement, are required for products to be compatible with industry standards like Wi-Fi. This agreement highlights Huawei's continued status as a significant holder of patents crucial for implementing Wi-Fi technology, despite US restrictions that have prevented US carriers from using Huawei's equipment on US networks.

Huawei has been actively expanding its patent portfolio and licensing business in recent years, reaching settlements with companies including Amazon, and is among the leading holders of patents necessary for Wi-Fi 6 implementation. Huawei has set a fee of 50 cents for each consumer device utilizing its Wi-Fi 6 technology. As of the end of 2025, over 1.6 billion consumer electronic devices, excluding mobile phones, had incorporated Huawei's Wi-Fi-related inventions.

This new agreement follows a lawsuit Huawei filed against HP in August 2025 at Europe's Unified Patent Court, alleging that HP had used a Wi-Fi 6 patent without authorization. HP joined the Sisvel Wi-Fi 6 patent pool in November 2025, ending litigation against Huawei and Philips. This pool provides access to approximately 2,000 patents essential for Wi-Fi 6 products through a single agreement.

Huawei noted that the new direct deal expands the scope of its Wi-Fi patents, including the more recent Wi-Fi 7 standard. Despite facing US trade restrictions since 2019 that have limited Huawei's access to advanced semiconductors and essential software, the company has managed to enter into this patent licensing agreement with HP.

HP, headquartered in Palo Alto, California, is the world's second-largest PC manufacturer, with a market share of 21.3% behind Lenovo, according to Gartner data.