Volume IX

Issue : 3: October 7, 2010

• Smartphone Patent Litigation Heats Up as Microsoft Sues Motorola
• U.S. Government seeks Legislation to 'Wiretap' the Internet
• U.S. Law Proposed to Target Infringing Websites Everywhere
• Waxman's Net-Neutrality Draft Legislation Leaked
• USD873M Judgment Against Facebook Spammer Upheld by Quebec Court
• YouTube Agrees to Pay French Music Royalties

Home > Volume IX > Issue 3: October 7, 2010 > Smartphone Patent Litigation Heats Up as Microsoft Sues Motorola

Smartphone Patent Litigation Heats Up as Microsoft Sues Motorola

Microsoft recently sued Motorola for infringement of 9 patents relating to Motorola smartphones using the Android operating system. The lawsuit relates to core smartphone features, such as synchronizing email, calendars and contacts. This move follows a spate of smartphone patent litigation, including Apple’s lawsuit against HTC over claims HTC had infringed patents related to the iPhone interface, architecture and hardware, and Oracle’s lawsuit against Google alleging that Google developed Android by using Oracle's Java-related intellectual property.

The timing of the lawsuit coincides with Microsoft’s upcoming launch of its new smartphone operating system, Windows Mobile 7, and may be seen as part of Microsoft’s promotional strategy. Motorola is the only named defendant to the lawsuit, so one can only speculate why Google (the company that wrote the Android operating system), along with other smartphone manufacturers that use the Android operating system, have been spared Microsoft’s wrath for the time being.

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http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=156915