Editor’s note: This article originally appeared on Tom’s Guide.
A recent patent legal ruling regarding 5G communication could see Motorola phones banned from the U.S. market.
There’s little doubt that Motorola isn’t the powerhouse it used to be regarding smartphones. However, the Lenovo-owned brand still has its place in the market, especially with affordable AI-capable devices. For instance, the Motorola Edge 50 Pro is a relatively cheap, decent phone. Unfortunately, the US International Trade Commission (ITC) recently found in favor of Sony Ericsson in the initial stages of its patent dispute with Motorola.
The issue, according to a report from Reuters, has to do with Sony Ericsson’s patents related to its 5G wireless technology. According to Sony Ericsson, Motorola’s Moto G, Edge and Razr lines of phones infringe on the patented technology. If the ITC’s ruling is upheld, it would likely mean a ban on Motorola imports into the country.
The U.S. isn’t the only country where the two companies are in legal conflict. According to Reuters, Motorola and Sony Ericsson are embroiled in patent lawsuits in South America, the United Kingdom and North Carolina. So far, Sony Ericcson has scored initial victories in Brazil and Columbia.
Motorola has had a pretty busy year regarding releases; for instance, we saw the Moto G 5G released, which offers a surprising amount of power for under $200. Motorola also released the Motorola Plus 2024, a fantastic foldable phone. If we add these to the list of Motorola phones that already exist, then there’s no doubt that the U.S. could lose out on some great phones.
It should be noted that this is only the initial part of the proceedings regarding the case. The ITC’s decision will have to be upheld by a commission, which is set to happen in April 2025. In the meantime, it might be worth checking our best phones list for a possible replacement or our best cheap phones list for something in a similar price range.
About the Author
Josh Render is a staff writer for Tom’s Guide, based in the UK. He has worked for several publications but now works primarily on mobile phones. Outside of phones, he has a passion for video games, novels, and Warhammer.
See also: Apple Ends 2024 With 27.7% Of Smartphone Market Share
