I read that article, and followed links from that to
others, and links from
the other to yet more etc. This
comment is inspired by what I have read, and
not a response
to the parent comment, which I have just replied to
above.
All these articles speculate about the magnitude of a
supposed
patent tax Android is suffering at the hands of
Microsoft and Apple, as if it
was fact.
I have commented extensively on this kind of speculation
in
the past, at a time when M$FT was getting wide press
every time they shook
down some new Android OEM with their
uninspiring patents, combined with their
enormous muscle.
Each of these articles assumed at that time that the
unfortunate victims of Microsoft's extortion were paying any
where from 5% to
15% of the price of their devices. However,
there was always an NDA (otherwise
know as the Omerta)
imposed on the victims, so there was never any evidence as
to what they were
actually paying.
The only "information" available was a rumour started
by
a Korean analyst that got quoted broadly, then requoted from
article to
article until it became fact by virtue of the
number of times it was quoted (if
that is possible!).
I found one final more piece following the chain of
links, a press release by Microsoft bragging about the
outcome of their attack
on HTC...
REDMOND, Wash. — April 27, 2010 — Microsoft
Corp.
and HTC Corp. have signed a patent agreement that
provides broad coverage under
Microsoft’s patent portfolio
for HTC’s mobile phones running the Android mobile
platform.
Under the terms of the agreement, Microsoft will receive
royalties
from HTC.
The agreement expands HTC’s long-standing business
relationship with Microsoft.
Note that there is no figure
quoted as to how much HTC
will pay, and no indication if it is a two way
agreement,
where HTC will also receive royalties from Microsoft, or
even if
there was an agreement HTC will develop Windows
phones and royalty payments
will be reduced to a token
payment.
In the end this is all FUD promoted
by Microsoft, both
directly and indirectly, to enhance their bargaining
position and discourage new players from joining the Android
alliance. This
whole nasty business is something that needs
to be looked into deeply by
professional journalists as well
as the FTC and the DOJ. It represents misuse
of patents and
potential antitrust violations.
When Microsoft tried to
shake down Barns & Noble, that
company fought back. The process revealed
the low quality of
Microsoft's patents. The B&N counter attack was so
unsettling to M$FT that they bought into B&N to settle
rather than
have all their secrets revealed in open court.
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