5 ms·
Microsoft Files Patent Infringement Action Against Motorola (over Android)
- spinchange 16y agoVery interesting. Motorola is one of the big handset OEMs that Microsoft lost in favor of Android. A Microsoft executive was just talking about how the cost of a Windows Phone 7 license indemnifies handset makers from IP & legal claims that Android makes leaves them vulnerable too. Well this sure hammers home that point!
- jameskilton 16y agoThat does help to explain things, but this statement is pretty broad: "The patents at issue relate to a range of functionality embodied in Motorola’s Android smartphone devices that are essential to the smartphone user experience..." So, um, why are they attacking only Motorola and not Apple, RIM, Samsung, or otherwise every single smart-phone manufacturer? Or even Google itself for Android? This seems to claim that Microsoft has a patent on "building a smart phone" which almost every single phone built in the last 5 years could fall under.
- gte910h 16y agoI'd contend they're trying to get people to make windows 7 phones (and gain licenses to the patents), not license the patent by themselves.
- dminor 16y agoHTC reached a deal to license MS patents shortly after being sued by Apple. Presumable there were negotiations that included the threat of litigation.
- forgotAgain 16y agoCouple of possible reasons why its (just) Motorola: 1) they only need one to create FUD. 2) others may have patents that MS infringes on. 3) they are sending a message to other companies who have made MS phones in the past.
- recoiledsnake 16y agoApple - Will lead to a mutual self destruction patent Armageddon RIM - I think they already have a deal from long ago, as to how BES connects to Exchange. Samsung - They license Windows Phone 7 Google - Makes nothing from Android, likely will result in patent countersuits on a lot of things. Why Motorola? Probably because they refused to make a Windows Phone 7 device.
- glhaynes 16y agoApple has a license to ActiveSync. I bet these patents are covered in that license.
- radley 16y agohere's another take: Patent protection key to Windows Phone 7 license "Microsoft may be one of the only remaining mobile operating-system providers that charges handset makers a licensing fee, but in exchange vendors get at least one important benefit: protection from intellectual property worries. That could be one reason that Samsung, HTC and LG are willing to pay to use Windows Phone 7, but it doesn't appear to be enough to convince other former Windows Mobile users, like Motorola, to commit to the operating system." http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9188964/Patent_protection_key_to_Windows_Phone_7_license http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9188964/Patent_protec...
- hga 16y agoExcept that's not necessarily true. Counter suits could result in a) fast track import bans through the US International Trade Commission (Motorola started such a suit against RIM in January; the Onion reference is apropos) and b) in theory injunctions to stop making/selling/etc. the phones. Of course, what was big for RIM (612.5 million US$) is Microsoft's cost of doing business in The Microsoft Way, but still, this sort of thing can get very nasty and can also absorb a lot of time of important people in the sued company.
- motters 16y agoIt seems unlikely that synchronising emails, calendar and contacts is carried out in exactly the same manner on a linux based Android device as to one based on a Windows OS.
- ergo98 16y agoA big deal was made when Apple licensed the "ActiveSync protocol" (which they used to allow iPhones to talk to Exchange servers via EWS). I never heard about Motorola licensing this, so perhaps that's the attack strategy.
- btilly 16y agoI would find it highly amusing if Microsoft manages to change the standard for patent lawsuits in their other case, and thanks to the changed standard they lose this one.
- lr 16y ago"We have a responsibility to our customers, partners, and shareholders to safeguard the billions of dollars we invest each year in bringing innovative software products and services to market." The only problem is, MS is not bringing innovative software products and services to market. At least not in the cell phone space.
- recoiledsnake 16y agoHave you seen their new Windows Phone 7 UI etc.? I would say it's innovative, instead of the standard icons on a desktop theme like iPhone and Android.
- lucisferre 16y agoYes, WP7 is great and what a great way to say to Motorolla, "hey, we would like you to build new handsets that use our great new WP7 OS" than by sueing them.
- siculars 16y agoSounds like someone is upset that someone else is cheating on them.
- colinprince 16y agoWhy is Apple not being sued by Microsoft for the same things?
- warfangle 16y agoBecause they were not former Windows Mobile license holders. This seems like a ploy to get former a license holder to continue being a license holder.
- brown9-2 16y agoIs this a common big business practice? Suing your former partners so they'll do business with you again in the future? Seems like a poor form of courtship.
- kevingadd 16y agoI could see the line of thought being something like 'well, clearly you licensed our IP just long enough to learn our secrets, then stopped paying for the license and used those secrets in your Android product'.
- hga 16y agoThat would be a trade secret lawsuit, though. E.g. akin to a Qualcomm licensee who had gotten both the rights to use their patented CDMA technology plus the trade secrets of their special sauce on radio power management. If this is just on the basis of patents then in theory the information is all in the public domain (which is what patents are supposed to be all about) and the lawsuit is over the right to use it.
- glhaynes 16y agoAnd Apple has licensed ActiveSync from Microsoft...
- shareme 16y agoIs this the Danger INC patents that were bought?
- apu 16y agohttp://www.theonion.com/articles/august-5-1914,10615/ http://www.theonion.com/articles/august-5-1914,10615/