Motorola and RIM settle patent dispute with a good old cross-licensing deal

We always like to hear of companies burying the hatchet (and the lawyers with it, if at all possible), and our latest source of good vibes are two North American phone makers that have been at each other's throats over patents since early 2008. Motorola and RIM had a previous intellectual property-sharing deal that expired at the end of '07 and with the companies unable to come to a suitable extension agreement, it all spiraled out into a big and silly legal discord. That has at long last been settled now, with RIM paying a one-off fee and regular royalties, as well as licensing some of its own patent catalog out to Moto, in exchange for using the Americans' knowhow in WiFi and other areas. All in all, an inevitable conclusion to an unnecessarily legalized negotiation. Now how about both you guys get back to building us those QWERTY sliders and 2GHz Androids?

[N900 Posted Jun 14th 2010 11:50AM]

Hug it out.

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 14th 2010 11:53AM]

@N900
This is what more businesses need to do in the technology field. I have a problem when certain companies patent horde.

This allows the creator to still receive revenue from licensing out their technology and allow us consumers to use that technology on more than one platform. Win - Win

[(Unverified) Posted Jun 14th 2010 11:53AM]

@N900
This is what more businesses need to do in the technology field. I have a problem when certain companies patent horde.

This allows the creator to still receive revenue from licensing out their technology and allow us consumers to use that technology on more than one platform. Win - Win

[MrT Posted Jun 14th 2010 11:56AM]

@N900 I bet you RIM gave Motorola a Rim Job

[djt Posted Jun 14th 2010 12:04PM]

@(Unverified) Okay that was my post but it shows up unverified and double posted. WTF? Please downrank them. I am shamed.

[N900 Posted Jun 14th 2010 12:09PM]

@(Unverified) I agree, but this solution is still arguable, since some companies just wanna win.

I hope Apple, HTC and Nokia settle soon enough as well.

[djt Posted Jun 14th 2010 12:17PM]

@N900 You are right some of these companies just want to win and then own it all. Thats when we the consumer lose.

[SeeKo Posted Jun 14th 2010 12:44PM]

@N900
Some companies just want to win.... is a very old business philosophy that managers shouldn't be stuck with. It's not healthy. In such a interconnected and multinational business world two companies can be competitors, partners, suppliers and customers all at the same time. And in most cases they have a much better run with this plan than going all the way alone.

[Aklex7 Posted Jun 14th 2010 4:39PM]

@(Unverified) I'm assuming you were referring to oh, Apple?

[TimeForTheFairTax Posted Jun 14th 2010 11:51AM]

The blood sucking lawyers still made out like bandits.

[Darkwarrior006 Posted Jun 14th 2010 11:54AM]

I would love a duel core smartphone processor, that would be realllyy awesome.

[FrankDTank Posted Jun 14th 2010 11:58AM]

RIM is still alive?

[cesium Posted Jun 14th 2010 12:05PM]

@FrankDTank

funny...

[DefPoet Posted Jun 14th 2010 11:59AM]

Burying lawyers?
I don't think Nilay would approve

[iAmBNT Posted Jun 14th 2010 12:07PM]

Well why not? they do have a common enemy. But even if they all share each other's patents they can't take out steve ^_^

[LiveFromThe215 Posted Jun 14th 2010 12:09PM]

Awwww

See that Apple? Now give HTC a huggie wuggie!!

[JAG Posted Jun 14th 2010 4:07PM]

nice, what about news from MOTORLA DROID X and DROID 2?

Some are sayin they both have 1ghz OMAP.