I'm pretty sure that they wouldn't since this is what has stopped Shimano from going fully wireless. Its not in the interest of SRAM to licence to Shimano since it would obviously eat SRAM sales if Shimano could produce a fully wireless groupset.
As far as I know SRAM have patents not on wireless derailleurs as such but rather patents on derailleurs that have built in removable batteries placed on the derailleur thus enabling the wireless aspect.
It does seem ridiculous that such a thing can be patented. Imagine Sony tried to stop other brands using wireless TV remotes.
But it's highly unlikely that SRAM are going to license the patents to anyone else, especially Shimano.
I have 11 speed etap on my road bike and Eagle AXS on one of my mountain bikes. Eagle AXS is good but its not perfect. Its downfall is the cassette, it's pretty clunky, especially shifting up under even a tiny bit of power. Once my cassette is done in I'm going to use a 12 speed Shimano cassette and chain with the AXS mech.
I think if Shimano released a wireless mtb groupset tomorrow a lot of people, me included, would switch over from SRAM and I think SRAM know this.
I'm pretty sure that they wouldn't since this is what has stopped Shimano from going fully wireless. Its not in the interest of SRAM to licence to Shimano since it would obviously eat SRAM sales if Shimano could produce a fully wireless groupset.
As far as I know SRAM have patents not on wireless derailleurs as such but rather patents on derailleurs that have built in removable batteries placed on the derailleur thus enabling the wireless aspect.
It does seem ridiculous that such a thing can be patented. Imagine Sony tried to stop other brands using wireless TV remotes.
But it's highly unlikely that SRAM are going to license the patents to anyone else, especially Shimano.
I have 11 speed etap on my road bike and Eagle AXS on one of my mountain bikes. Eagle AXS is good but its not perfect. Its downfall is the cassette, it's pretty clunky, especially shifting up under even a tiny bit of power. Once my cassette is done in I'm going to use a 12 speed Shimano cassette and chain with the AXS mech.
I think if Shimano released a wireless mtb groupset tomorrow a lot of people, me included, would switch over from SRAM and I think SRAM know this.