In a glimpse of the financial stakes in the smartphone-patent wars, Microsoft Corp.Microsoft said Friday that Samsung Electronics Ltd,paid the software giant more than $1 billion for an annual fee to use Microsoft technology in Samsung phones.
Samsung sells smartphones and tablets powered by Google In Google’s Android software. But Microsoft has said some of its patents are included in Android technologies, such as methods for displaying multiple windows in a Web browser. Therefore, Samsung and other smartphone makers pay royalty fees to Microsoft for each Android device they sell.
Though,both of these giants were shy to bring this partnership to the world.
In the legal fight that started this summer, Microsoft complained that Samsung failed to honor a 2011 patent-licensing contract between the two companies. Samsung said Microsoft’s purchase ofNokia Corp.Nokia’s mobile-phone business in April violated the terms of a business contract between the companies, according to the court filing.
Microsoft is asking a judge to enforce the terms of the 2011 contract with Samsung and declare that the Nokia acquisition doesn’t invalidate the companies’ pre-existing agreement. Microsoft also is seeking $6.9 million in damages because Samsung was late paying the $1 billion royalty payment owed last fall.
source:TWSJ
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