Microst says Android infringes patents, licenses HTC

Professey Chin

The last sentence of this is one of the oddest things ive ever read

The lawyers up in Redmond seem to have been woken from their slumber with the sudden realization that -- oh look! -- Google's Android OS infringes on Microsoft's boatload of software patents. How specifically it does so is not identified, but Microsoft believes that elements from both the user interface and the underlying operating system are in violation of its rights. This is very much in keeping with the Windows maker's crusade to assert patent claims over Linux, which in the past has garnished it with cross-licensing deals with Amazon and Xandros, as well as a settlement from TomTom. Lawsuits are not yet being discussed here, but lest you think this is a small-time disturbance, HTC has already decided to shorten its list of troubles by ponying up for a license from Microsoft for "running the Android mobile platform." Yes, that does sound ludicrous, but it's now an unfortunate fact that a major Android phone manufacturer is having to pay Microsoft royalties to use Google's operating system.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/28/microsoft-says-android-infringes-on-its-patents-licenses-htc/2#comments

Atomic Pineapple

Very strange indeed, from reading up about it I got the impression that Microsoft are basically bullying HTC into it to allow them use Windows Phone 7

Professey Chin

Don't get why they'd bully them.
HTC was one of the only things keeping WinMo going

partyatmygaff

They're trying to get them to side with WP7 instead of Android. If Android becomes too big before WP7 is released it will not be able to get back market share.

Atomic Pineapple

partyatmygaff wrote: »

They're trying to get them to side with WP7 instead of Android. If Android becomes too big before WP7 is released it will not be able to get back market share.

Thats what I got from reading up on it, charge HTC a royalty to use Android while giving them a nicer price (or possibly free to begin with) to use WinMo 7 on there devices.

Atomic Pineapple

Interesting article on it here :

http://www.crn.com/software/224700283

Although Microsoft isn't suing Google directly, its move to put the chill on Android would definitely constitute a violation of Google's 'Don't Be Evil' code. A Google spokesperson said the company has no comment on the matter, but Google probably isn't going to sit and watch while Microsoft's legal team makes its way through the Android partner community. This is the kind of battle that Google craves.

Google is already a member of the Open Invention Network, an industry group formed in 2005 by IBM, Red Hat, Novell, Philips and Sony that maintains a patent portfolio and makes it available to member companies on a royalty-free basis.

The OIN's goals are to encourage companies to increase their Linux investments and "to address problems that arise from patent trolls and industrial companies whose business models and behaviors are antagonistic to Linux and true innovation," according to the OIN Website.

Many open source experts doubt the validity of Microsoft's Linux patent claims, and Google just might be the company that finally gets Microsoft to show its hand. If you think the battle between HP and Cisco is interesting, if Google does decide to defend its partners from Microsoft, that's going to look like a minor spat.

Professey Chin

IBM,Red Hat,Google,Novell,NEW,Sony and Phillips.
Christ they'd have enough patents to bitch-slap pretty much any company on earth

According to wikipedia, these are the main products they protect.Id say Android will be added (They're like Linux superheroes or something :pac:)

The list of key applications considered by OIN, according to Red Hat's Mark Webbink,[3] includes Apache, Eclipse, Evolution, Fedora Directory Server, Firefox, GIMP, GNOME, KDE, Mono, Mozilla, MySQL, Nautilus, OpenLDAP, OpenOffice.org, Open-Xchange, Perl, PostgreSQL, Python, Samba, SELinux, Sendmail, and Thunderbird.

Atomic Pineapple

Good description

Hopefully Google will step in and put it up to Microsoft, it would anger me if a free operating system created by someone else was making Microsoft money

generalmiaow

Defensive patent purhases and all that stuff is such a nonsensical way to do business, and I think with software it's actually not possible in Europe.Still it's good to be reminded of the old microsoft every now and then!

nmesisca

I m not sure this is necessarily bad news.
At least for the moment.
HTC might actually use the licensed technologies in court against Apple.