Fosspatents: Nokia calls Google’s EU antitrust complaint “frivolous” and a waste of time and resources

Nokia has apparently responded to Google’s Antitrust complaint

Though we have not yet seen the complaint, Google’s suggestion that Nokia and Microsoft are colluding on IPR [Intellectual Property Rights] is wrong. Both companies have their own IPR portfolios and strategies and operate independently…

…We agree with Google that Android devices have significant IP infringement issues, and would welcome constructive efforts to stop unauthorised use of Nokia intellectual property.

http://www.fosspatents.com/2012/06/nokia-calls-googles-eu-antitrust.html

A very excellent blog that specifically is in the know about the patent game is fosspatents. I don’t usually pay attention to the patent dramas but when I find something interesting, fosspatents is a great place to get some insight. Please read the fosspatent post as it tries to clear up what on earth is happening.  You may have seen fosspatents cited on many blogs before. It is written by Florian Mueller,

an award-winning intellectual property activist-turned-analyst with 25 years of software industry expertise spanning across different market segments….

“My personal take on non-practicing entities has always been that there’s nothing wrong with the concept known as division of labor,provided that the patents they monetize are legitimate. In terms of which patents should and should not be granted, I don’t agree with any large tech company, whether it’s Apple, Google, IBM, Microsoft, Nokia, or Oracle.”

Some snippets

• Nokia forms coalitions with many companies. Nokia worked with RIM and Motorola, agreeing on the new nano SIM design and that they should receive FRAND royalties.
• Patent transfers to non-practicing entities apparently a reality, one which Google has supposedly played itself – in fact, Mueller links to a post where Google has also done a deal with MOSAID.

http://www.fosspatents.com/2012/06/nokia-calls-googles-eu-antitrust.html

Another quick follow up post by Mueller:

• Nokia’s promise not to assert patents against Linux is irrelevant in the Mosaid context

The Google complaint, which I did not see in the source links from the first post

Google alleges MOSAID is reneging on a commitment that Nokia made in a 2005 regulatory filing when the company pledged not to enforce patents against software relying on the Linux Kernel

http://www.fosspatents.com/2012/06/nokias-promise-not-to-assert-patents.html

One of the many points from Mueller. He points out many other limitations from the pledge.

“it’s crystal clear that Nokia’s promise was limited to the “Linux kernel”, as opposed to something like Android. While Android uses the Linux kernel, it’s not Linux, and in particular, it’s not published under the same license, the GPL”

http://www.fosspatents.com/2012/06/nokias-promise-not-to-assert-patents.html

Category: Nokia