HTC Gains Access to Microsoft Patents

The Wall Street Journal ^ | APRIL 28, 2010 | ROGER CHENG

[SmokingJoe]

HTC Corp. of Taiwan signed a licensing deal to use Microsoft Corp.'s patents in its Android phones, as the U.S. software giant stakes a claim to technology used in Google Inc.'s mobile platform.

Microsoft, based in Redmond, Wash., said Wednesday that it had entered into an agreement with HTC to allow the handset maker to use its intellectual property in phones running on Android. HTC will pay Microsoft an undisclosed amount.

"We have consistently taken a proactive approach to licensing to resolve IP infringement by other companies, and have been talking with several device manufacturers to address our concerns relative to the Android mobile platform," said Horacio Gutierrez, deputy general counsel of intellectual property and licensing for Microsoft.

The agreement brings to question how vulnerable Android's platform is to potential disputes over intellectual property. Apple Inc. has sued HTC over 20 hardware and software patents it claims the handset maker is using illegally, in what many see as an indirect attack on Google. Microsoft, meanwhile, has opted to go with the licensing route.

"The big guys are using their patents to align their interest and stake their claims in the marketplace," said Mark Kesslen, an intellectual-property lawyer

[SmokingJoe]

Meanwhile, it appears Microsoft's multi-touch patent preceded Apple's:
UI War Brewing: Microsoft Multi-Touch Patent App Predates Apple's.

[MrEdd]

good find

[Erik Latranyi]

HTC is positioning itself to be the handset maker of choice for serious programmers and providers....Microsoft and Google have both come to HTC while its relations with Verizon, AT&T, and the other worldwide mobile providers remains strong.

I always saw HTC as a rising star and this confirms it.

[Star Traveler]

Here’s something in the iPhone market for you, Swordmaker... for whatever it’s worth (which is actually not too much... LOL ...).

[ShadowAce]

[Moose4]

I have an HTC Droid Eris (the cheaper Droid phone for Verizon Wireless) and like it a lot. The only downside is that it’s running Android 1.5 right now, but an upgrade to the newer 2.1 version is supposedly due out very soon. And, HTC has extended the Android UI and done some really nice stuff with it. It even makes phone calls! :)

}:-)4