Weren't HTC bullied into a royalty agreement with Microsoft over Android? I wonder if the Nokia agreement replaces it or amends it?
Nokia and HTC throw down swords, sign patent war peace treaty
Nokia and HTC have decided to bury the patent hatchet and spar no more in courts throughout the world after the two companies signed a patent and technology collaboration agreement. The two firms were just one pair of the many firms battling on multiple fronts in the Great Patent War, with ongoing lawsuits in Europe and the US …
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Tuesday 11th February 2014 16:38 GMT Anonymous Coward
The last round of agreements nearly killed HTC.
The agreement with Microsoft to settle on the Android patents issue by making Windows Phones (which clearly consumers didn't want), allowed Samsung to run off into the lead.
I guess this agreement will be the final nail in the coffin, and a couple of years from now, Microsoft will be buying out what's left of HTC and using them to further try and push mobile phones that nobody wants.
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Tuesday 11th February 2014 14:31 GMT EmperorFromage
Which Nokia ?
The story doesn't say, but it may be reasonable to assume that the bits of Nokia that have been flogged to Microsoft and by extension Microsoft is not party to this truce. Thus making it an agreement between the surviving Finnish bits of Nokia where all the IPRs are to be found and HTC.
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Tuesday 11th February 2014 15:10 GMT Andy Roid McUser
good will to all men ( and women )
For peace to work all you need is one side with a bigger gun.
These patent press releases are hilarious.. Legal staff for Company X and Company Y sat around a table and after many courtroom drama's at a cost of $$$ Company Y has decided to give Company X a few SUV's full of cold hard cash. In return Company X will stop attempting to extort assets from Company Y now that Company Y has willingly handed over a lot of money. Company Y can now protect itself from future litigation by using Company X's patent war chest. Freeing up Company X to make litigation proceedings against Companies A,B & C now that precedence has been set.
Everyone at Company X is rather quite pleased with themselves. Staff at Company Y are wondering why they feel cheap , dirty and violated.
Not too dissimilar from 'Mob' protection money , just done in a court and with 'we're all great friends' press releases. Isn't modern business just lovely.