“HTC Corp., Asia’s second-biggest maker of smartphones, filed infringement claims against Apple Inc. (AAPL) today, using patents obtained from Google Inc. last week,” Phil Milford and Susan Decker report for Bloomberg.
“The nine patents originated with Palm Inc., Motorola Inc. and Openwave Systems Inc., with Google taking ownership within the past year, according to U.S. Patent and Trademark Office records,” Milford and Decker report. “Mountain View, California-based Google recorded transfer of the patents to HTC on Sept. 1, according to the agency’s website.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Note: FOSS Patents’ Florian Mueller told MacDailyNews:
Google knows that HTC is under tremendous legal pressure from Apple and clearly on the losing track. HTC is the first Android device maker sued by Apple, so that dispute is at the most advanced stage, and since HTC’s own patent portfolio is weak, it has so far lacked the leverage to force Apple into a cross-license agreement. The possibility of HTC being defeated must have scared Google.
Another motivation for Google is probably to demonstrate some support to third-party Android device makers even though it’s clear those won’t be able to compete with a Google-owned Motorola Mobility on a playing field if the deal goes through.
This intervention on Google’s part increases the likelihood of direct litigation by Apple against Google. Apple may hold patents that could affect Google beyond Android.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Ellis D.” for the heads up.]