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Samsung Paid Microsoft $1 Billion Last Year In Android Royalties
An anonymous reader writes: According to recently unsealed court filings, Samsung Electronics paid Microsoft more than $1 billion in annual fees to use patented Microsoft technology in Samsung's Android phones. The patent treasures include methods for displaying multiple windows in a Web browser. "Samsung originally signed its patent deal with Microsoft in 2011, ahead of its impressive dominance of Android shipments, but late last year Samsung decided it was tired of paying on time, or paying interest when a late payment was finally made. Microsoft has taken Samsung to court over the issues, and the Korean company insists it wants to walk away from the original deal because of Microsoft’s purchase of Nokia’s phone business. Samsung claims the acquisition invalidates the cross-licensing IP agreement, but Microsoft doesnt agree and wants the company to pay $6.9 million in unpaid interest from last year."
When has google sued someone for software patent infringement? i can't recall a single case that wasn't in self defense.
Microsoft on the other hand, has been known for suing outright as well as shady deals like SCO, Nokia and other scummy tactics.
Luckily, Microsoft is circling the toilet bowl and won't be relevant years from now.
Mod me down, my New Earth Global Warmingist friends!
The desktop that's never going away no matter how many idiots think it is. Until human eyes are comfortable reading tiny text and pecking away at 2" keyboards, tablets are NEVER going to replace desktops. Ever.
Technically, does that make Microsoft a patent troll?
I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?
Luckily, Microsoft is circling the toilet bowl and won't be relevant years from now.
Man, I wish I could be circling the drain with $22 billions in profit in the last 12 months. The smartphone/tablet explosion has led to a decline in the PC market but it's still 80-90% of the max volume with Microsoft still having a 90%+ PC market share. Sure, they'd like a do-over to make even more money in the phone/tablet market but they're very, very far from hurting. And unless any of the major Android manufacturers decide to get serious about x86 then Microsoft and Intel will still be allies in the struggle against Android/Apple, which is to their advantage. I think you vastly underestimate what it takes to kill a mega-corporation like that, AMD took a good stab at Intel yet lost eventually. And even if they do fail, they'll take much longer than that to die and wither away. At least those who don't have Elop as a CEO, Microsoft might have dodged a bullet there...
Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
But in a few years - say three at the max, Android makers will realise that these patents are really worthless, and back away from their agreements.
Once you sign an agreement, it doesn't really matter whether the patent is worthless or not - you've agreed to the payments contractually, and that's still legally binding. Samsung is attempting to use some clause in the contract to claim that Microsoft Corporation has done something to invalidate the agreement - that is, transforming to a company with a major smartphone manufacturing subdivision. Maybe that will work, I don't know.
"Somebody has to do something. It's just incredibly pathetic it has to be us."
--- Jerry Garcia