Google files complaint against Microsoft and Nokia over “mobile patent abuse” in the EU

If you have been following the tech scene for a while, you are probably aware of the various patent lawsuits that are being thrown around by patent trolls and huge corporations alike (think Apple vs Samsung, Microsoft vs Motorola, Google vs Oracle, etc). While Google has been out of the picture for the most part, save for its battle against Oracle, other companies like Nokia and Microsoft have made it to the headlines more often than once and it seems that Google isn’t too pleased about that. They have recently filed a complaint with the European Commission and have accused both Microsoft and Nokia of “mobile patent abuse”. According to a Google spokesperson:

“Nokia and Microsoft are colluding to raise the costs of mobile devices for consumers, creating patent trolls that side-step promises both companies have made […] They should be held accountable, and we hope our complaint spurs others to look into these practices.”

In response to Google’s complaint, Microsoft issued a statement of their own in which they called Google’s complaint “desperate”:

“Google is complaining about patents when it won’t respond to growing concerns by regulators, elected officials and judges about its abuse of standard-essential patents, and it is complaining about antitrust in the smartphone industry when it controls more than 95 percent of mobile search and advertising,”

Nokia too issued a statement of their own in which they asserted that Google’s accusations are “wrong”:

“Nokia has made regular patent divestments over the last five years. In each case, any commitments made for standards essential patents transfer to the acquirer and existing licenses for the patents continue […] Had Google asked us, we would have been happy to confirm this, which could then have avoided them wasting the commission’s time and resources on such a frivolous complaint.”

We’re not sure what Google is hoping to gain out of this complaint, but hopefully it will not lead to more lawsuits and legal battles. In any case be sure to check back with us as we will keep you updated on the situation.

Tyler Lee
Categories: Cellphones, Tablets
Tags: Google, Microsoft, Nokia, patents