After several days of downtime, ASUS.de is reachable again—while Acer’s Germany site remains offline. The disruption follows a legal dispute involving Nokia and patent licensing for the HEVC/H.265 video codec, a widely used standard for video compression that appears in many modern PCs.
In the case, the Munich I Regional Court ruled that ASUS and Acer must halt direct sales of certain desktop PCs and laptops in Germany. The court’s decision centers on licensing terms tied to HEVC and whether the companies had reached an agreement under FRAND conditions—short for Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory—often required when using standardized technologies covered by patents. As a result, Nokia was granted an injunction that temporarily blocks the sale of specific affected devices through the companies’ direct channels in Germany.
Following the ruling, both manufacturers’ Germany-focused websites went dark, creating immediate headaches for customers. Some users also reported problems accessing resources needed for existing products, including downloads and support files—an issue that can be especially frustrating when you need drivers, firmware updates, manuals, or warranty information.
Now, ASUS has brought its German site back online. Visitors can once again access downloads and browse available items. However, ASUS.de currently does not list desktops or laptops, reflecting the impact of the injunction. Shoppers can still view other categories, such as peripherals and related accessories.
Acer’s situation is different. Acer’s Germany website remains inaccessible and displays a “maintenance work” message. That leaves local customers without an official regional hub for product information and downloads, even though a limited site restoration—such as keeping support pages live while removing restricted product listings—could have reduced the disruption.
For buyers in Germany who are still looking for ASUS or Acer desktops and laptops, the practical workaround is going through third-party retailers, where some products may continue to be available despite the restrictions affecting direct manufacturer sales. The broader outcome now depends on whether the companies and Nokia can reach a licensing agreement that satisfies the court’s requirements and allows normal sales activity to resume.
