[ Reply to This | Parent | # ]

Microsoft has been using similar FRAND patents from MPLA to prevent Linux from having media play for fifteen years, selling their exclusive right as a feature. Now that Google has bought Motorola Mobility, Microsoft are hoist on their own petard. Microsoft must give up Media Center integration, and media play entirely in Windows 8 until you download stuff.

These Google guys are brilliant. They might get Microsoft to pay for blunting their own spear at the same time they impale them on it. Video codecs are just the beginning. Apparently Motorola invented the cellular phone both on the handset side and on the tower side, and Google now owns all of those patents as well as many derived therefrom. You seriously can't design a mobile phone, or wifi device, without taking a license from Motorola Mobility in some way.

This is much better than just putting out a better standard with VP8 from Google's acquisition of ON2 and winning in the market. That though is a good bet for the long haul. At this point I'm thinking the purchase of ON2 was a feint.

[ Reply to This | Parent | # ]

• or a fall back possition N/T - Authored by: feldegast on Tuesday, September 18 2012 @ 03:43 AM EDT

[ Reply to This | Parent | # ]