Why doesn't Microsoft involve in the patent war with Apple?

Summary

Microsoft avoids the extensive patent disputes seen between Apple and Samsung primarily due to a long-term patent cross-license agreement with Apple. This comprehensive agreement grants both companies access to each other's entire patent portfolio, including design patents. To prevent product overlap, both firms actively communicate about upcoming designs, fostering distinct product lines like the Surface. This collaborative model, which promotes unique product development, is seen as beneficial for a healthy market and third-party developers.

After Apple and Samsung patent war ends, Samsung immediately announced that they would continue to appeal. People are now guessing that the next target of Apple is Motorola and Google, while the situation getting worse, we could not help to ask why there is no emergence of Microsoft?

At first glance, the answer seems to be very simple, both Microsoft Window 8 and Window Phone products do not have much intersection with Apple's products. But there is an unknown reason, there is a patent cross-license agreement signed between Apple and Microsoft.

Boris Teksler, who is in charge of Apple's patent licensing and marketing strategies, revealed to the outside world that Apple and Microsoft signed a long-term patent cross-license agreement. The signing of the agreement means that Apple and Microsoft can use each other's all patents, including design patents. What we are curious about is that the existence of the agreement does not result in the situation where both companies' products are identical to each other. This is because Microsoft and Apple must keep in touch with each other about the products they will produce,, avoid the "crash". We can clearly see this in the upcoming Surface body.

Apple and Samsung is also going to sign a similar agreement, but this agreement will not include product design and user interface. It's interesting that the products are different between two sides who signed the agreement, whie the products are similar between two sides who didn't sign the agreement. This result seems to be unexpected, but reasonable. Set aside the legal factor aside, part of humanity is indeed worthy of everyone to think.

Although Microsoft's exploration has not achieved satisfactory results, we believe it is the road that gets spacious. As third party developers, we are happy to see that different manufacturers keep mutual cooperation but with unique characteristics, this is what a healthy market should be.

Reference : http://www.36kr.com/p/148453.html

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