- HP and Huawei have signed a multi year global patent cross licensing agreement covering Wi Fi technology.
- Huawei’s Wi Fi 7 patents are believed to be central to the deal, but the exact patents and financial terms remain private.
- HP says the agreement is only about patent licensing and does not create a wider commercial or strategic partnership.
- The agreement follows a previous dispute between the companies over Huawei’s Wi Fi 6 patents.
HP and Huawei have signed a multi year global patent cross licensing agreement covering Wi Fi technology, including patents linked to the newer Wi Fi 7 standard. The deal gives HP access to certain Huawei patents, while Huawei receives rights to selected HP patents.
The agreement is notable because the two companies have not revealed exactly which patents are included, how much money will change hands, or the precise length of the arrangement. Despite the lack of detail, the deal highlights the growing importance of wireless technology patents as companies continue to build products around increasingly advanced Wi Fi standards.
Huawei confirmed the agreement in August 2026, describing it as an intellectual property licensing milestone. HP, however, has been more careful about how the arrangement is characterised. The American computer maker has stressed that the agreement does not represent a new commercial partnership or broader strategic relationship with Huawei.
For now, this appears to be a straightforward patent licensing deal rather than the beginning of a wider collaboration.
Why the HP Huawei agreement matters
The agreement is particularly interesting because of the complicated relationship between Huawei and the US technology sector.
Huawei remains on the US Department of Commerce Entity List, which has placed significant restrictions on the Chinese company’s access to certain American technologies. Those restrictions have affected Huawei’s ability to source advanced chips, software and other components.
That does not mean American companies are automatically prohibited from entering every type of transaction with Huawei. Patent licensing can still take place under applicable rules, and HP’s comments suggest this agreement falls within that framework.
The deal also demonstrates that Huawei remains a significant holder of wireless technology intellectual property despite years of restrictions.
Wi Fi standards depend on technology developed and patented by many companies. Manufacturers that build compatible products often need licences covering standard essential patents. These arrangements can become complicated when several patent owners and technology standards are involved.
Cross licensing can make the process considerably easier. Instead of each company negotiating separate royalty payments for every relevant patent, both sides can grant rights to portions of their respective patent portfolios.
Deal follows an earlier Wi Fi patent dispute
The agreement also has some history behind it.
Huawei accused HP in 2025 of using technology covered by its Wi Fi 6 patents without an appropriate licence. That dispute put the companies on opposite sides of a patent argument.
The new cross licensing arrangement appears to provide a practical way forward.
Standard essential patents are generally expected to be licensed on fair, reasonable and non discriminatory terms. In practice, companies often resolve these matters through broader licensing or cross licensing agreements.
The financial details of the HP and Huawei arrangement remain confidential. It is therefore not clear whether the two companies will simply exchange patent rights or whether one side will make an additional payment to balance the value of the portfolios involved.
Huawei has previously indicated that its licensing rates for certain consumer products are around $0.50 per device for Wi Fi 6 and Wi Fi 7. The actual commercial terms agreed with HP have not been disclosed.
Huawei continues to monetise its patent portfolio
The agreement is another example of Huawei turning its extensive research and development investment into licensing revenue.
Huawei said that by the end of 2025 it held around 165,000 active patents and had entered more than 260 patent licensing and cross licensing agreements with major patent holders around the world.
Wi Fi is an especially important area for the company because Huawei has invested heavily in wireless communications technology over many years. As manufacturers move from Wi Fi 6 towards Wi Fi 7 and eventually newer generations, access to relevant intellectual property becomes increasingly important.
For HP, securing the necessary patent rights helps it continue developing and selling connected computers, peripherals and other products without leaving unresolved licensing questions around widely used wireless standards.
However, neither side has suggested that the agreement will lead to jointly developed products, shared research programmes or a new hardware partnership.
That distinction is important.
Despite the headlines surrounding the deal, HP and Huawei are not announcing a new strategic alliance. At this stage, the agreement is primarily about intellectual property rights and access to patented Wi Fi technology.
The exact technology covered by the agreement may remain confidential, but the deal nevertheless underlines Huawei’s continued influence in the global wireless technology market and shows how patent licensing can continue across geopolitical boundaries.
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