Microsoft have joined the major technology corporation suing party and launched a suit to prevent the sale of Motorola mobiles in the US.
With each technology giant seemingly suing each other in a Royal Rumble-style lawsuit, Microsoft believe their latest action will ban a number of Google-owned Motorola phones in America, which Microsoft claim infringe upon seven patents. These include ways to synchronise calendars and contacts, as well as notifying applications of changes to signal strength.
Motorola phones are made overseas, despite Motorola being an American company, and the International Trade Commission could prevent the products reaching the States. This could pave the way for Microsoft to then argue their case in other markets.
Ironically, analysts have pointed to the suspicion that one of the reasons for Google’s $7.7bn purchase of Motorola Mobility – the phone manufacturing arm of the company – was to acquire the large number of patents which date back to the early age of mobile phones in order to defend Android.
As it stands, therefore, Microsoft are suing Motorola who are owned by Google. Microsoft have already won a suit against HTC and their Google-owned Android phones. But HTC, who are also boosting their intellectual property portfolio, have filed a major patent infringement case against Apple – who in turn are suing Samsung and have filed multiple lawsuits against HTC.
These companies appear to be entering an era where increasing resources are spent battling in the courts at the expense of development and innovation, the aspects that made each of them world leaders in the first instance.
Computerworld (UK)
