Update: Xiaomi Global VP Hugo Barra confirmed in a Facebook post that the company is complying with the ban and halting sales until they resolve the issue, assessing legal options as they go. Our original report continues below…
Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi has been slapped with a temporary ban on sales of its devices in India until February 5, following a rift with Ericsson over patents, reports The Times of India.
The Delhi High Court has passed an ex parte injunction order against Xiaomi, over eight Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) held by Ericsson, which restricts the former from selling, advertising, manufacturing or importing devices that infringe upon these patents. Local commissioners have also been tasked with visiting Xiaomi offices to see that these orders are followed.
TechCrunch shared a comment from Ericsson, which believes that, “It is unfair for Xiaomi to benefit from our substantial R&D investment without paying a reasonable licensee fee for our technology.”
Ericsson claims to have attempted to engage Xiaomi in conversation over patent licensing for more than three years, to no avail, and has had to resort to legal action as a last resort.
Meanwhile, Xiaomi’s India Operations Head Manu Jain told The Next Web, “We haven’t received an official notice from the Delhi High Court. However, our legal team is currently evaluating the situation based on the information we have.
India is a very important market for Xiaomi and we will respond promptly as needed and in full compliance with Indian laws. Moreover, we are open to working with Ericsson to resolve this matter amicably.”
It appears that Xiaomi’s Redmi 1S phone and Redmi Note phablet are still available to buy as usual on Flipkart, where the devices are sold through online flash sales. The company is also slated to begin selling its low-cost 4G phablet, the Redmi Note 4G, in the country later this month. We’ll keep an eye on things and update this post as new developments unfold.
➤ Xiaomi banned from selling, importing phones in India: Report [The Times of India]
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