HMD Global is the new owner of 500 design patents that Microsoft acquired from Nokia

HMD Global, the Finnish company responsible for launching Nokia-branded smartphones in the market is the new owner of about 500 design patents. According to a report by NokiaMob, these patents were previously owned by Microsoft Mobile after Microsoft purchased the smartphone division of Nokia. These patents were transferred to the new owner HMD Global which holds the exclusive rights to use the Nokia-brand name. [caption id=“attachment_3868473” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Image Credit: HMD Global[/caption] The interesting thing to note here is that one of the patents in these 500 design patents is for the design of Lumia Camera UI. This means that we may see the Lumia Camera UI in the current Nokia-branded smartphones. HMD Global may use this design patent to redesign the camera interface in the Android operating system for all its’ Nokia smartphones in the market. However, trademarks like ClearBlack, PureMotion and PureView are still registered as the Intellectual Property of Microsoft Mobile. The report points out that it is highly likely that these trademarks could also be transferred to HMD Global. EUIPO points out that Microsoft Mobile is still owned about 200 design patents that it acquired after the purchase of Nokia Mobile. The report speculates that these design patents may be the part of the mobile business that Microsoft sold to FIH Mobile in 2016.