OPPO licenses 4G and 5G patents to unnamed Chinese automaker engaged in “overseas market expansion”, following similar deal with VW

Context:

OPPO holds one of the world’s top ten cellular standard-essential patent (SEP) portfolios.
It is an Avanci 4G and 5G licensor, and its sale of 5G SEPs to Toyota (July 29, 2024 ip fray article) enabled the Japanese automotive giant, which was among the first to take an Avanci 5G license (October 9, 2024 ip fray article), additionally to become an Avanci licensor (October 10, 2025 ip fray article). It is not unusual for companies to be both licensors and licensees of the same collective-licensing program, but it was a first for Avanci’s automotive pool.

Earlier this year, OPPO announced, for the first time, a cellular SEP license agreement with a car maker: Volkswagen (June 20, 2025 ip fray article).

What’s new: OPPO has just announced a cellular license agreement with an unnamed Chinese car maker. The press release notes that OPPO also engages in technology transfer with the automotive industry: “OPPO’s self-developed VOOC flash charging technology has been adopted by more than 60 car companies, with a cumulative installation in more than 10 million vehicles, highlighting OPPO’s continuous expansion in the fields of 5G and mobile Internet, as well as its commitment to promoting cross-industry innovation with global partners.”

Direct impact & wider ramifications:

Without knowing the name of the licensee, it is unclear whether that one already is an Avanci licensee (like Volkswagen). BYD has an Avanci 4G (though apparently not yet 5G) license (September 24, 2025 ip fray article), which it took after it failed to get a Brazilian preliminary injunction lifted (September 25, 2025 ip fray article). There is at least one undisclosed Chinese Avanci licensee (February 24, 2025 ip fray article).

Geely is the only Chinese automaker currently to be embroiled in infringement litigation with a cellular SEP holder, Nokia (July 22, 2025 ip fray article). It is conceivable that Geely secured this license in order to use it as a comparable in FRAND (fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory licensing) arguments in court.

The terms are not disclosed, and one question is whether OPPO is charging the amount it would be paid out of the Avanci pool (in which case OPPO does not leave money on the table, but the licensee could try to argue that the rate is substantially lower than a top-down allocation of the pool license to OPPO’s relatively large portfolio) or agreed on regionalized terms (in which case it might be the first cellular SEP license deal ever to do so). OPPO is a major implementer of cellular SEPs and, therefore, not looking to optimize its income from outbound licensing but also pursues strategic interests with respect to inbound licensing. For example, OPPO is presently being sued by licensing firm Optis in India (October 22, 2025 ip fray article). But OPPO also uses its own SEPs in cross-licensing with such companies as Ericsson and Nokia, which is why a devaluation of its own SEPs would backfire in more than one context.

The press release says “OPPO will assist the automaker in enhancing the user experience of its connected vehicle products and supporting its overseas market expansion through its cellular communication standard patents.” The UX part may relate to OPPO’s above-mentioned proprietary technologies. The reference to “overseas market expansion” means that it is one of the export-oriented Chinese car makers (such as BYD, Geely, XPENG, SAIC, or NIO).

The press release quotes OPPO’s head of patent licensing, Lin Weizhi (known to international IP conference audiences as Vincent Lin):

“We are delighted to have reached this patent licensing agreement. This is the second time, after Volkswagen, that we have licensed essential patents for cellular communication standards to a well-known automaker through a bilateral licensing agreement. It also demonstrates the automotive industry’s recognition of OPPO’s leading position in cellular communication technology innovation and reflects OPPO’s commitment to building a long-term, healthy and sustainable intellectual property ecosystem.”