infoTECH Feature

April 22, 2014

New Microsoft-Motorola Solutions License Agreement Provides Global Coverage

Court rooms are full of case logs in which companies have violated the intellectual property of another organization and are being sued for compensation. The tech industry is currently making the headlines regarding this issue led by the never-ending dispute between Apple (News - Alert) and Samsung. In order to avoid potential litigation, Microsoft and Motorola Solutions have entered into a global licensing agreement covering the use of the Android in Google (News - Alert) Chrome Operating systems.

Motorola Solutions is not Motorola Mobility, which was purchased by Google about two years ago and sold to Lenovo for $2.9 billion. Google is indirectly involved in this because it nurtured the development of the Linux-based Android mobile operating system, which it gave to the world royalty-free so hardware manufacturers can use it. However, this doesn't protect the companies that use this operating system, allowing Microsoft (News - Alert) to go after hardware manufacturers using Android.

This has resulted in many of the manufacturers entering licensing agreements with Microsoft including Samsung, ZTE, LG, HTC, Acer (News - Alert) and Barnes & Noble, which according to some reports could amount to $2 billion a year from the royalties associated with Android use.

The Microsoft IP licensing program has resulted in more than 1,100 licensing agreements since it was established in December of 2003. Opening the company's portfolio for customers, partners as well as competitors not only provides a stream of revenue for Microsoft, but to also eliminate costly litigation that can drag on for years.

"Microsoft and Motorola (News - Alert) Solutions share a respect for intellectual property and a commitment to fair and reasonable patent licensing programs. Microsoft prefers licensing to litigation, since licensing is a more effective way to share technology and accelerate the pace of innovation," said Nick Psyhogeos, general manager, associate general counsel, IP licensing of the Innovation and Intellectual Property Group at Microsoft.

By entering the licensing agreements Motorola Solutions ensures the high-profile customers it serves in government and enterprises will be protected from litigation. The company provides public safety communications from infrastructure to applications and devices such as radios as well as task-specific mobile computing devices for enterprises.

"Our Motorola Solutions communications technology works best for everyone when it is backed with robust intellectual property and patents. We are pleased to have agreed upon a solution that allows our customers to purchase Android products from Motorola Solutions with confidence," said Joe White, vice president of Enterprise Mobile Computing, Motorola Solutions. 




Edited by Alisen Downey
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