Microsoft Sues Japanese Smartphone OEM Kyocera Over Android Related Patents

Microsoft has now filed a patent lawsuit against Japanese smartphone OEM Kyocera over Android related patents. Over 80% of the smartphone OEMs have agreed to license patents from Microsoft for selling Android devices. While few of them have refused to do it, Microsoft have sued them in the past. Motorola and Barnes & Noble were two such companies. Now, Kyocera joins the list of companies which refuses to license Microsoft’s patents.

Microsoft asked a Seattle federal judge to impose a U.S. sales injunction against Kyocera’s infringing products including Duraforce, Hydro and Brigadier lineup of phones.

“Although research and development comes at great cost and risk, Microsoft was founded on innovation, and the company continues to choose the path of the innovator,” the complaint says. “But others have a different approach, waiting for innovators like Microsoft to bear the expense of developing new technologies and then incorporating the most successful inventions into their own products – without permission and without paying for the privilege.”

 

The patents involved in this case are related to power-saving, battery life, accelerometers, location, motion sensing and other technologies.

Microsoft offered the following statement regarding this case,

“We respect Kyocera but we believe they need to license the patented technology they are using. We’re hopeful this case can be resolved amicably,” said David Howard, a Microsoft corporate vice president and deputy general counsel, in a statement issued by the company.

 

Source: Geekwire