On: HTC pays Microsoft over Android patents

[latch]

First Apple, now Microsoft. Sucks to be HTC. Is Google going to step up and defend their seemingly very patent-infringing OS any time soon?

[ars → latch]

Can they?

They are not a party to the suit, and they apparently don't have any useful patents of their own in this area to fight with, even if they were.

I predict HTC and Motorola will enter into a cross-licensing deal, and Motorola will help HTC.

[latch → ars]

Why do the patents need to be in the same area (ppl keep saying that, but I don't understand why they have to counter-punch in the phone market)? They have patents on pretty broad things, non-phone related things, like MapReduce.

Doesn't seem to be worthwhile to be an Android manufacturer. Lawsuit from Apple and licensing arrangement w/Microsoft.

[nailer → ars]

HTC and Motorola would be a great match. Great patent portfolio and radios (Moto) meet great device design, fast execution (first touch phone on the market) and better distribution (HTC).