Huawei agrees to a multi-year patent licensing deal with Qualcomm

Huawei has ramped up its R&D spending in recent years

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Published Mon, Oct 5, 2026 · 03:21 PM
    • It is Huawei’s first patent licensing deal with Qualcomm that covers 5G technologies.
    • It is Huawei’s first patent licensing deal with Qualcomm that covers 5G technologies. PHOTO: REUTERS

    CHINA’S Huawei Technologies said on Monday (Oct 5) it had agreed a broad multi-year patent licence deal with Qualcomm covering artificial intelligence, 5G, computing and networking technologies.

    The agreement includes Qualcomm’s purchase of certain Huawei US patents related to computing, AI and networking, Huawei said in a statement.

    It is Huawei’s first patent licensing deal with Qualcomm that covers 5G technologies.

    Huawei said the deal is expected to push the total value of its patent licensing agreements to more than US$6.9 billion once completed.

    The company said its intellectual property licensing business has generated positive revenue since 2021, reflecting years of heavy investment in research and development.

    Huawei ramped up R&D spending in recent years, as US trade restrictions since 2019 have limited its ability to buy advanced chips and crucial software.

    The company made its first licensing payment to Qualcomm in 2001, while it received its first licensing income in 2011 from Motorola.

    The Qualcomm agreement follows a licensing deal with HP announced by Huawei in August. REUTERS

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