Microsoft, HTC Sign Android Patent Agreement

[TheKurrgan]

[citation][nom]figgus[/nom] After all, these lawsuits aren't about money: they are about control of the market, a far more important asset.[/citation]
Which is about money. So it all comes back to money and greed. Period.

 

[smleth]

IP is getting to be really annoying. I can't write a program to wipe my A$$ without getting sued for using someone's code. This kind of crap it what keeps new companies from coming out with competing products. We are killing our own progress.

There are only so many ways to make a button, you make it one way it's Microsofts, another it's Apples, another it's IBMs. Which one is the better Evil, you have to pay someone.

 

[eccentric909]

[citation][nom]figgus[/nom]Hit the small fish with small payout lawsuits, then when they capitulate use that track record to strike at the bigger fish.[/citation]

HTC isn't exactly a small fish however. They make nearly 80% of the WinMobile phones available. HTC was the fastest growing tech company in 2005 as well.

So, no, MS isn't going after a small fish, they working out a deal with the company that produces the bulk of their phones, or at least did in 2009.

 

[Guest]

HTC suck anyway

 

[bcube]

ip rights should have limited period of time
so others can make use of them

 

[g00ey]

[citation][nom]apmyhr[/nom]If HTC is agreeing to pay royalties without being taken to court, then I would think there is some clear validity to Microsoft's patent claims.[/citation]
Or it may be that they don't want to take the costs of going to court. Whoever would be right, such a trial would damage their relationship so it may be cheaper for both parts to strike a deal and cooperate.

 

[everygamer]

I think it might be interesting to see what happens with this in the long run. Microsoft says that under the hood it is their technology, but under the hood it is linux & java and Microsoft hasn't gone after that successfully in the market.

Indirectly, if they try to go after Android they might have issues, because they will have to attack only things that are not related to Java and Linux ( custom connectors, some user interface layouts, etc) because linux is now backed by HP, IBM and Dell and all of the IP that those companies carry (this is what derailed Microsoft from going after linux several years ago).

The IP game these days usually doesnt stop products, it just has companies share the wealth. In the end, even if Apple wins, Android will still be in the Market, Apple will just get a tiny piece of the royalties and everyone will win.