A German court issued an injunction barring the companies from offering, marketing, importing or possessing certain affected devices in the country. While the ruling prevents Acer and ASUS from bringing new products into Germany, it does not apply to retailers, who can continue selling existing inventory.

Customers can still purchase available models for now, but prolonged litigation could lead to supply shortages in one of Europe’s largest technology markets.

The dispute centres on High-Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), also known as H.265, a widely used video compression standard. Nokia alleged that Acer and ASUS infringed three of its patents related to HEVC technology. Chinese electronics maker Hisense was also named in the case but secured a licence from Nokia earlier this year.

HEVC is considered essential to modern computing, underpinning video streaming, video conferencing, operating systems and media applications. The technology is supported by most graphics processors and system-on-chip platforms. Without HEVC support, device performance and compatibility with widely used services could be significantly affected.

As a standard-essential patent (SEP), HEVC must be licensed under fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms. While patent holders are required to offer licences, disputes frequently arise over what constitutes fair conditions.

Germany is known for strict enforcement of patent law, particularly in SEP cases. Unless a licensing agreement is reached or the ruling is overturned, Acer and ASUS will remain unable to import new PCs into the German market.

The post Acer, ASUS Halt Direct PC Sales in Germany After Nokia Patent Ruling appeared first on Tech Digest News.

Speaking at an event in Taiwan, Asus Chairman Jonney Shih said the company would no longer introduce new mobile phone models, as it pivots toward emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence-powered devices, including humanoid robots and smart glasses.

Shih outlined Asus’ broader business strategy, noting that the company recorded a 26.1 per cent revenue increase in 2025, driven largely by strong demand for its AI server business, which has become a key growth engine.

The decision comes amid significant challenges facing the global smartphone industry. Manufacturers are grappling with a severe memory chip shortage, which has pushed up component costs and is expected to persist as AI infrastructure development continues to consume large volumes of chips. Prices of RAM have reportedly quadrupled in recent months, prompting suppliers like Micron to scale back consumer-focused brands in favour of more profitable enterprise markets.

Industry analysts also point to the maturing smartphone market, where incremental hardware improvements have slowed upgrade cycles. Outside dominant players such as Apple and Samsung, smartphone makers face intense competition from Chinese brands including Xiaomi, Vivo and Huawei, particularly in price-sensitive markets.

Asus was once a notable player in the Android ecosystem, best known for its ROG Phone gaming series, which featured high-end processors, advanced cooling systems, gaming accessories and legacy features such as headphone jacks. However, the devices were positioned at premium price points, with the latest ROG Phone 9 Pro starting at around $1,200.

While existing Asus smartphones are expected to continue receiving software updates, the company’s update policy has been relatively limited. Recent flagship models are guaranteed only two Android OS upgrades and between four and five years of security updates.

Speculation had recently emerged that Asus might enter the DRAM manufacturing space amid rising memory prices. However, the company later dismissed the reports, stating that it has no plans to invest in memory fabrication facilities.

The post Asus to Wind Up Smartphones Business, Shifts Focus to AI Hardware appeared first on Tech Digest News.

Asus has revealed a $599 AI home robot that can do everything from play with the kids to look after the elderly

‘For decades, humans have dreamed of owning such a companion: one that is smart, dear to our hearts, and always at our disposal,’ said Mr Shih.

‘Our ambition is to enable robotic computing for every household.’
ASUS Zenbo arose from Chairman Jonney Shih’s ambition to enable robotic computing for every household.

‘Zenbo is a friendly and capable home robot designed to provide assistance, entertainment, and companionship to families and meant to address the needs of each family member in this ubiquitous computing era,’ the firm said.
‘With a full range of capabilities, including the ability to move independently and understand spoken commands, Zenbo can assist in the home and interacting with him is easy and fun.’

Zenbo is also a fun and educational playmate for kids who entertains them with interactive stories and learning games that foster their creativity and logical thinking skills.
With a high-quality, built-in stereo sound system, Zenbo can play children’s favorite songs and even dance along to the music, making for fun playtime activity. Zenbo includes a built-in library of stories that he tells in a variety of entertaining voices, while displaying accompanying images on his screen and controlling the room lighting to add a new level of interactivity and fun to story time.

As a home care assistant, he proactively provides convenient, spoken reminders of important information, such as doctor’s appointments, medication and exercise schedules, and anything else that needs to be remembered.

Zenbo also monitors the home for emergency situations — such as falls — and immediately responds to them by notifying specified family members on their smartphones, no matter where they are.
When they receive an emergency notification, family members can remotely control Zenbo to move nearby and use Zenbo’s built-in camera to visually check on their loved one.
It can also make video calls, use social media, shop and stream movies and TV shows — using voice commands and guided help.
Zenbo can connect to and control many smart home and traditional devices, including lights, TVs, air conditioners, and more.
He can also help out in the kitchen, reading recipes out loud and functioning as a voice-controlled timer, so home chefs can stay focused on cooking.
It will also act as a remote-controlled home security camera that is accessible from anywhere via an intuitive smartphone app.

Source: Daily Mail UK

The post Meet Zenbo: The AI home robot. appeared first on Tech Digest News.