licensing

Google and Verizon announced on Tuesday that they have entered into a long-term patent cross-licensing agreement to “reduce the risk” of future litigation (via VentureBeat). Both companies expressed interest in reaching similar agreements with other large tech companies in an effort to thwart patent trolls that assert their patents in the courtroom in an effort to pad their pockets.
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A month ago we learned that Microsoft signed a patent-protection pact with Android handset maker HTC, with the Windows maker taking an estimated five bucks in royalties for every Android handset HTC makes. Some even calculated that Microsoft makes more money from Android than Windows Phone 7 licenses. Today, Microsoft confirms that it has talked another Android backer,  General Dynamics Itronix (GDI), into signing a patent-protection deal.

The agreement “provides broad coverage” for GDI’s Android devices and Microsoft confirmed it will receive royalties from the company. GDI is the maker of rugged mobile computing devices and even though they’re irrelevant in the smartphone space, first-tier handset vendors like Motorola and Samsung could find it increasingly difficult not to pay royalties to the Redmond giant. Apple could indirectly benefit as well…

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