Microsoft To Charge Phone Makers a Licensing Fee

Posted by Soulskill on Friday October 1, 2010 @05:30AM from the how-magnanimous-of-you dept.

angry tapir writes "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. 'Microsoft indemnifies its Windows Phone 7 licensees against patent infringement claims,' the company said. 'We stand behind our product, and step up to our responsibility to clear the necessary IP rights.'" In related news, Windows Phone 7 will be exclusive to AT&T at launch, and it seems Microsoft is counting on Xbox Live integration to be the "hook" that gets people interested in the new devices.

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Indemnification already offered on Linux by PlanetX+00 · 2010-10-01 05:36 · Score: 5, Informative

A quick search revealed that at least one embedded Linux vendor offers this too without per-phone royalties:

"Meanwhile, MontaVista added that it protects its customers from technical and legal risks through warranties on all editions of MontaVista Linux and indemnification against claims involving the code it creates and delivers."

Just more FUD IMHO