Huawei Technologies and HP Inc. announced a multiyear, global patent cross-licensing agreement on August 26, 2026. The deal covers Wi‑Fi technology, including the latest Wi‑Fi 7 standard, and gives each company access to specified patents held by the other.
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What HP can use
The agreement grants HP a licence to use certain Huawei Wi‑Fi patents in its PCs and other Wi‑Fi-connected products. The public announcement does not identify every patent covered or provide a complete technical scope, so it should not be read as a blanket licence to Huawei’s entire Wi‑Fi portfolio.
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The coverage includes technology associated with Wi‑Fi 7. Because Wi‑Fi capabilities are built into connected computers and other devices, the licence applies to the relevant products rather than creating a new HP hardware line or joint product.
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How the cross-licence works
This is a reciprocal arrangement: HP receives access to certain Huawei patents, while Huawei receives access to HP patents. The companies did not disclose the specific HP patents involved or the agreement’s full financial terms.
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Some reports said HP would pay Huawei a balancing fee for access to the Wi‑Fi technology, but the amount was not disclosed.
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21 The safest public description is therefore a paid, multiyear patent cross-licence whose detailed economics remain private.
Why HP called it routine
HP characterized the agreement as a standard-essential patent licence for widely used Wi‑Fi technology. It said the arrangement was routine for companies whose products connect to Wi‑Fi and did not represent a broader strategic or commercial relationship, partnership or collaboration with Huawei.
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That distinction matters: the announcement concerns intellectual-property rights needed for products using standardized wireless technology. It does not announce a new device, a supply agreement or a joint business venture.
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How Alan Fan described the deal
Alan Fan, Huawei’s chief intellectual-property officer, called the agreement “a strong testament” to Huawei’s persistent independent innovation in cutting-edge information and communications technology. He also said patent licensing enables Huawei to share its innovations—particularly standardized technologies—with industry and consumers globally.
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In practical terms, Fan presented the agreement as recognition of Huawei’s contribution to standardized ICT technology, while HP framed it as an ordinary licensing transaction. Those descriptions are not mutually exclusive: the deal can acknowledge the value of Huawei’s patents without signaling a wider commercial partnership.