The licensing pact doesn't provide HTC with any "air
cover". The only use HTC can make of Microsoft's patents
is to demonstrate prior art or somehow narrow the scope
of Apple's patents. But you don't need a patent license to
do so. The main use of a large patent portfolio to deter
patent infringement lawsuits is that you can threaten to
countersue, but HTC doesn't own Microsoft's patents,
merely licenses them, and so can't sue Apple for
infringement. Anyhow, I doubt that Microsoft would want
its patents tested in the HTC-Apple lawsuit.
Apple doesn't have to fear stepping on Microsoft's toes any
more than it did before this licensing agreement was
signed.
Discussion on:
Message 14 of 1
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