BEIJING – In a significant milestone for intellectual property (IP) innovation and revenue generation, Huawei announced at its annual Innovation and Intellectual Property Forum that the company has booked around $630 million in patent licensing revenue during 2024. This marks another year of growth for Huawei’s IP strategy as it continues to solidify its position as a leader in global technology research and development.
During his keynote address, Alan Fan, head of Huawei’s Intellectual Property Rights department, highlighted the company’s dedication to innovation by announcing that Huawei published 37,000 patents globally in 2024. This record-breaking number underscores the company’s commitment to ongoing investment in research and development (R&D), with over CNY170 billion ($24 billion) spent on R&D activities last year alone.
Revenue Distribution Across Key Regions
The revenue breakdown indicates that a significant portion of Huawei’s licensing income comes from the United States, Asia Pacific, and Europe, each contributing approximately one-third to the total IP income. This is particularly noteworthy given ongoing trade tensions with the US since 2019 when Huawei was placed on the country’s trade blacklist over national security concerns.
Speaking at a media roundtable, Chief Legal Officer Liuping Song elaborated on the company’s patent strategy in the US. Despite not selling hardware there due to export restrictions, Huawei continues to file patents extensively in the US market. This proactive approach has allowed the company to generate substantial revenue from phone manufacturers as well as Wi-Fi and automotive vendors.
Technical Contributions and Open Innovation
The forum also provided an update on Huawei’s contributions to global technical standards bodies, with over 10,000 technical contributions made in the last year. Additionally, Huawei released more than 1,000 academic papers, reflecting its dedication to advancing knowledge and fostering open innovation.
R&D Investment and Future Growth
With R&D expenditure accounting for roughly 20.8% of total revenue in 2024, Huawei’s investment strategy is clearly geared towards maintaining a competitive edge through continuous technological advancements. The company continues to push boundaries with its flagship products such as the Mate 60 Pro and P70 Ultra, which leverage cutting-edge features like HarmonyOS 5.0.1.120.
The Huawei brand remains committed to expanding its footprint in both developed markets and emerging economies by integrating state-of-the-art technologies into their devices. This focus on innovation is expected to drive further revenue growth and enhance global market presence for the company.
