InterDigital Communications

Name

InterDigital Communications

Legal name

InterDigital, Inc.

Website

https://interdigital.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wireless and Video Patent Licensing

NAICS

All Other Telecommunications (517810)

SIC

Patent Owners & Lessors (6794)

akta.pro primary industry

Standards-Essential Patents (SEP) & FRAND Advisory (BPAHAMAL)

Keywords

• Wireless patent licensing
• Video codec research
• 5G standard essential patents
• Wi-Fi technology licensing
• AI video compression

Headquarters

HQ city

King Of Prussia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Patent Licensing - Cellular Standards: Licensing of standard essential cellular patents (3G, 4G, 5G, Wi-Fi) to smartphone manufacturers, device makers, and other technology companies. Revenue is recurring through license renewals and new agreements.
2. Patent Licensing - Video Standards: Licensing of video compression patents (HEVC, VP9, AV1) and HDR technology to consumer electronics manufacturers, streaming services, and content providers.
3. IoT Patent Licensing: Extending patent licensing into IoT payments and point-of-sale devices, covering 3G, 4G, Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6 standards for payment terminals, gateways, and connected checkout infrastructure.
4. Catch-up Revenue: One-time catch-up payments from license agreements with Samsung, OPPO, and Lenovo, representing historical royalties for prior periods.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

InterDigital Communications is a mobile technology research and licensing company that develops foundational wireless, video, and AI technologies through its Wireless Lab, Video Lab, and AI Lab. The company monetizes its approximately 27,500 patents through licensing agreements with smartphone manufacturers, consumer electronics companies, IoT device makers, automotive firms, and streaming services worldwide. Revenue is generated primarily from recurring royalty payments on standard-essential patents covering 3G, 4G, 5G, Wi-Fi, and video codecs (HEVC, VVC, HDR).

Product overview

InterDigital Communications is a technology research and innovation company (founded 1972, Nasdaq-listed) that develops foundational wireless, video, and AI technologies and licenses them to manufacturers worldwide. The company operates through three primary research labs: Wireless Lab (5G, 6G, Wi-Fi, integrated sensing and communications), Video Lab (video compression, HDR, haptics, immersive experiences), and AI Lab (generative AI, agentic systems, edge AI). InterDigital's patent licensing program covers cellular (3G/4G/5G), Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi 5/6), and video standards (HEVC, VVC, HDR) licensed to smartphone makers, consumer electronics, IoT, and automotive companies. The company has expanded through acquisitions (Deep Render for AI video compression) and partnerships (Haptic Excellence Center with Razer, 6G collaboration with Türk Telekom).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Patent Licensing Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Extends smartphone video watch time by up to 22% through Pixel Value Reduction technology
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability7 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• Keysight TechnologiessupportingTechnology or Integration · 1 June 2026InterDigital partnered with Keysight Technologies for the development of Over-the-Air Federated Learning (OTA-FL) technology, demonstrating real-time training that optimizes spectrum resources and enables AI training directly at edge devices.
• University of Texas at AustincoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 April 2026InterDigital demonstrated AI-enhanced services and energy-efficient edge intelligence at the 6G@UT Forum at The University of Texas at Austin. The company showcased multi-user MIMO Over-the-Air Federated Learning technology developed in partnership with the university and Keysight Technologies, as well as AI-enabled teleoperation systems for remote vehicle operation.
• Türk TelekomcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 February 2026InterDigital and Türk Telekom achieved the world's first implementation of collaborative cellular and Wi-Fi sensing using preliminary 6G architecture, demonstrated at Türk Telekom's Innovation and Test Center in Ankara. The collaboration leverages Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) technology to fuse sensing data from both radio systems, achieving improved accuracy, enhanced service continuity, and reduced coverage blind spots in indoor environments. This milestone will be showcased at Mobile World Congress 2026.
• RazercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026InterDigital and Razer launched the Haptic Excellence Center, a collaborative initiative dedicated to advancing haptic technology innovation, education, and implementation for enhanced media experiences. The center aims to address structural barriers preventing haptics from scaling as a media modality by developing a dedicated haptic streaming platform and partnering with universities for research and skills development.
• Sony (Joint TV Licensing Program)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026InterDigital and Sony operate a joint TV licensing program for video compression patents (HEVC, VP9, AV1) and HDR technologies. InterDigital's CLO stated that both Hisense and TCL are top-five global TV manufacturers that have built their businesses on research carried out by InterDigital engineers. The program also includes patent infringement litigation against unlicensed manufacturers.
• Glasgow University (ISAC³ Centre)supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 February 2026InterDigital is partnered with Glasgow University in the ISAC³ (Integrated Sensing and Communication Enabling Cognitive Cities) research initiative, which aims to transform Glasgow into one of the world's first predictive 'cognitive' cities using AI and 6G sensor technology, alongside BT, Virgin Media O2, Ericsson, and Neutral Wireless Ltd.
• US Department of War (DoW)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 October 2025InterDigital was awarded a US Department of War contract to lead research and demonstrations on advanced spectrum coexistence for civil and military applications. The project involves development of AI, sensing, and commercial 5G systems to improve spectrum sharing and coexistence of radar and wireless networks as part of the Advanced Spectrum Coexistence (ASC) initiative.
• INRIA (French Institute for Research in Computer Science and Automation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 October 2023InterDigital collaborates with INRIA through a Common Lab (Nemo.AI) exploring new technologies to support immersive and metaverse applications. The partnership includes research sponsorships and PhD co-supervision for students. InterDigital's Rennes researchers hold more than 40 leadership positions in video standards bodies including MPEG, DVB, and ITU.
• Convida Wireless (Joint Venture with Sony)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerConvida Wireless is a joint venture between InterDigital and Sony focused on R&D and standardization of IoT and 5G systems, enabling continued collaboration on next-generation wireless technologies.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Qualcomm: Qualcomm is the leading wireless SEP licensor for cellular standards (3G/4G/5G) with a business model centered on licensing standard-essential patents to smartphone OEMs and device makers. The most direct comparable to InterDigital on both cellular SEP portfolio and licensing/enforcement approach.
• Ericsson: Ericsson licenses its wireless SEP portfolio (5G/4G/3G) through its Intellectual Property unit to smartphone and device manufacturers. Comparable as a telecom infrastructure company generating meaningful SEP licensing revenue and engaged in parallel FRAND disputes.
• Nokia: Nokia Technologies licenses Nokia's SEP portfolio across wireless, video, and multimedia standards to device makers. Direct comparable in cellular SEP licensing with similar enforcement dynamics and a comparable mix of standards-body participation.
• Huawei: Huawei is a major wireless SEP holder and licensor with one of the largest 5G patent portfolios globally, frequently engaged in SEP disputes with competitors. Comparable as a major licensor with parallel interests in cellular standards and infrastructure.
• Dolby Laboratories: Dolby licenses audio and video technologies (HDR, surround sound, codecs) to consumer electronics manufacturers under a similar patent licensing model. Direct comparable on the video codec and HDR side of InterDigital's portfolio.
• Sharp: Sharp is a consumer electronics manufacturer and SEP licensor, particularly in display and video technologies. Comparable as a smaller-scale SEP holder focused on wireless and video standards licensing with parallel participation in standards bodies.

Broad incumbents

• Samsung Electronics: Samsung is both a major licensee and licensor in wireless SEPs. Comparable in standards participation (5G, video codecs) and as a counterpart in the largest patent licensing deals, but operates as a broad conglomerate rather than a pure licensing business.
• Koninklijke Philips: Philips Intellectual Property & Standards licenses a large SEP portfolio in video (HEVC contributors), wireless, and healthcare standards. Comparable as a diversified SEP licensor with deep video codec involvement and a similar patent licensing business model.

Others

• MPEG LA: MPEG LA administers patent pools for video codecs (HEVC, AVC, etc.) and other standards. While not a direct competitor, MPEG LA pools offer an alternative to bilateral SEP licensing models like InterDigital's, particularly in the video codec space.
• Avanci: Avanci operates patent pools for IoT and automotive SEP licensing, aggregating cellular and Wi-Fi patents from multiple licensors. It is an alternative licensing channel that competes with bilateral SEP licensing programs like InterDigital's, especially in IoT.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/interdigital-communications
• Xx.com/interdigitalcom

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A4 records

Investments3 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about InterDigital Communications