Microsoft's Hottest New Profit Center: Android

#1

Post by jbrodkin » Tue, Jul 05, 2011, 8:42 PM UTC

One of Microsoft's hottest new profit centers is a smartphone platform you've definitely heard of: Android. Google's Linux-based mobile operating system is a favorite target for Microsoft's patent attorneys, who are suing numerous Android vendors and just today announced that another manufacturer has agreed to write checks to Microsoft every time it ships an Android device. Vendors paying off Microsoft for the right to use Android now include HTC, Velocity Micro, General Dynamics, Onkyo Corp. and Wistron. Microsoft likely makes more money from Android than its own Windows phone platform, and its latest patent agreement announced Tuesday indicates Microsoft is also going after Google's Linux-based Chromebooks.

Microsoft's Hottest New Profit Center: Android
networkworld.com

Re: Microsoft's Hottest New Profit Center: Android

#2

Post by pyre » Tue, Jul 05, 2011, 9:51 PM UTC

B-B-But I thought that Microsoft was only acquiring patents to protect itself from evil other companies that would have patented these things and then sued Microsoft! They were supposed to be defensive patents...

Re: Microsoft's Hottest New Profit Center: Android

#3

Post by 1010011010 » Tue, Jul 05, 2011, 9:55 PM UTC

pyre wrote: post #2

B-B-But I thought that Microsoft was only acquiring patents to protect itself from evil other companies that would have patented these things and then sued Microsoft! They were supposed to be defensive patents...

I'd like to see a citation of Microsoft saying their patents were going to be used only defensively.

I think it's _completely_ in their nature to block and bleed competitors.

Re: Microsoft's Hottest New Profit Center: Android

#4

Post by oldstrangers » Tue, Jul 05, 2011, 9:55 PM UTC

"We are pleased that Wistron is taking advantage of our industrywide licensing program, established to help companies address Android's IP issues," Microsoft general counsel Horacio Gutierrez said in a press release.

That is the most infuriatingly worded press release ever. Might as well just say that you're very pleased Wistron agreed to let you bend them over the counter to address Microsoft's inability to compete issue.

Re: Microsoft's Hottest New Profit Center: Android

#5

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Jul 05, 2011, 9:57 PM UTC

1010011010 wrote: post #3

pyre wrote: post #2

B-B-But I thought that Microsoft was only acquiring patents to protect itself from evil other companies that would have patented these things and then sued Microsoft! They were supposed to be defensive patents...

I'd like to see a citation of Microsoft saying their patents were going to be used only defensively. I think it's _completely_ in their nature to block and bleed competitors.

[deleted]

Re: Microsoft's Hottest New Profit Center: Android

#6

Post by 1010011010 » Tue, Jul 05, 2011, 9:57 PM UTC

oldstrangers wrote: post #4

"We are pleased that Wistron is taking advantage of our industrywide licensing program, established to help companies address Android's IP issues," Microsoft general counsel Horacio Gutierrez said in a press release. That is the most infuriatingly worded press release ever. Might as well just say that you're very pleased Wistron agreed to let you bend them over the counter to address Microsoft's inability to compete…

"established to help companies address Android's IP issues" ... haha

Re: Microsoft's Hottest New Profit Center: Android

#7

Post by yuhong » Tue, Jul 05, 2011, 10:40 PM UTC

pyre wrote: post #2

B-B-But I thought that Microsoft was only acquiring patents to protect itself from evil other companies that would have patented these things and then sued Microsoft! They were supposed to be defensive patents...

One of the most famous examples of this is Amazon (search for "amazon patents" on Slashdot), but of course there are other examples too like Sun/Oracle.

Re: Microsoft's Hottest New Profit Center: Android

#8

Post by erikb » Tue, Jul 05, 2011, 10:44 PM UTC

Interesting news. But has a page 2. So, I can't read the story to the end, nor give you the actually earned upvote. Really sorry, Jon.

Re: Microsoft's Hottest New Profit Center: Android

#9

Post by zacgarrett » Tue, Jul 05, 2011, 11:03 PM UTC

erikb wrote: post #8

Interesting news. But has a page 2. So, I can't read the story to the end, nor give you the actually earned upvote. Really sorry, Jon.

Like a lot of sites there is the print button which includes the entire article.

http://www.networkworld.com/cgi-bin/mailto/x.cgi?pagetosend=...

Re: Microsoft's Hottest New Profit Center: Android

#10

Post by kenjackson » Tue, Jul 05, 2011, 11:49 PM UTC

1010011010 wrote: post #3

pyre wrote: post #2

B-B-But I thought that Microsoft was only acquiring patents to protect itself from evil other companies that would have patented these things and then sued Microsoft! They were supposed to be defensive patents...

I'd like to see a citation of Microsoft saying their patents were going to be used only defensively. I think it's _completely_ in their nature to block and bleed competitors.

Quite the opposite in fact. MS has been rather blunt that they haven't been pleased with Linux's use of what they believed was patented technology and that they'd take action. IMO, the real question is what took them so long, since the first threats were made years ago.

With that said MS has never threatened anything beyond Linux, at least that I can recall. Linux appears to have a special place in their heart.