Apple and a consortium that includes RIM, Sony, Ericsson, EMC and Microsoft have outbid Google and purchased 6000 patents from bankrupt telecom Nortel Networks.
Google opened the auction at $900 million but the final bid was a massive $4.5 billion.
The patents cover a wide range of topics from wireless, data and optical networking, voice, Internet and semiconductors.
Losing the patents is a massive blow to Google and its burgeoning Android platform, which is under attack from many angles and was looking to add the portfolio as a way to protect itself from litigation. There are currently 45 patent infringement lawsuits based on Android and Android devices, the biggest of which is Oracle's billion dollar suit over use of Java.
One analyst was shocked at Google's lack of commitment to Android saying: "In light of Android's patent problems it's surprising that Google didn't outbid everyone else. It could have afforded more than $4.5 billion but it doesn't appear to be truly committed to Android."
Google's response:
The patents cover a wide range of topics from wireless, data and optical networking, voice, Internet and semiconductors.
Losing the patents is a massive blow to Google and its burgeoning Android platform, which is under attack from many angles and was looking to add the portfolio as a way to protect itself from litigation. There are currently 45 patent infringement lawsuits based on Android and Android devices, the biggest of which is Oracle's billion dollar suit over use of Java.
One analyst was shocked at Google's lack of commitment to Android saying: "In light of Android's patent problems it's surprising that Google didn't outbid everyone else. It could have afforded more than $4.5 billion but it doesn't appear to be truly committed to Android."
Google's response:
This outcome is disappointing for anyone who believes that open innovation benefits users and promotes creativity and competition. We will keep working to reduce the current flood of patent litigation that hurts both innovators and consumers.
