8 ms·
>1. Are these generic, broad "idea" patents and hence there is nothing Google/OEMs can really do here to avoid licensing them? If not, why don't they use an alt
by VladRussian2 13y ago
>1. Are these generic, broad "idea" patents and hence there is nothing Google/OEMs can really do here to avoid licensing them? If not, why don't they use an alternative implementation to avoid the conflict?
no alternative implementation would help as it is not about some specific patents, it is more about [litigation] threat that some patents in the vast portfolio can be found that may be in some sense considered violated. Basically it is racket called Android Licensing Program - you pay "protection money" to MS in exchange for it not bothering you.
What interesting here is that Google seems to leave its OEMs to fend for themselves, thus instead of fighting one Google over 2B/yearly pot (the show that first row tickets for would sell like for Superball), MS extorts fifty million here and hundred million there which is much easier and safer.
- masry 13y agoSorry but this sounds like bullshit to me. By that logic Microsoft could get money from anyone who's ever made a software product because "some patents in the vast portfolio can be found that may be in some sense considered violated." I buy the other argument more, the one that says Android does horribly infringe on Apple's and Microsoft's patents because it's a copied product and that's what happens when you make a copied product.
- thetrb 13y agoDo they also get money from Motorola?
- VladRussian2 13y agohttp://www.fosspatents.com/2013/04/just-like-one-week-ago-when-foxconn.html http://www.fosspatents.com/2013/04/just-like-one-week-ago-wh... "Google's Motorola Mobility, which prefers litigation even though it's a grossly unsuccessful strategy for Google " and http://www.fosspatents.com/2013/04/setback-for-google-german-court-finds.html http://www.fosspatents.com/2013/04/setback-for-google-german...
- afsina 13y agofosspatents is an Oracle and MS shill.
- belorn 13y agoMicrosoft used the same method back with SCO. Eben Moglen called it "the be very afraid tour" back in 2007.
- bostonpete 13y ago> What interesting here is that Google seems to > leave its OEMs to fend for themselves This might have been a valid criticism a couple of years ago but at the moment I believe Google is defending claims by Microsoft against Motorola claiming that Android device makers don't need third-party patent licenses. So it certainly seems like they're doing their fair share to stand up to MS -- more than any other OEM (it's not like Samsung is some mom and pop shop that couldn't put up a fight).