Apple knows they can't compare their low-featured high-cost iPhone with many of the devices out there, so they fear all the other competitors when they make similar features. This is why they made a patent even on the 'touch screen' forgetting that touch screen exists since 1981 when the first one was made using infrared LEDs (see wikipedia for more on this).
I hate Apple... they think to be the best when they're not, and pretend to be the best when no one wants it to be (excluding apple-4-ever fans).
About Google, Microsoft vs Motorola, I'm not informed on that so I won't be judging them, for now. Even though, it looks to me like this is an open war for patents, not to innovation and new technologies, which is kind of sad... really sad.
I recently read a news article about how when Apple came out with the iPhone it was considered cool with an elite status as only those on ATT could get it and due to the then high price.
Now with it everywhere including low cost carriers, it the safe phone you'd get your mother. And because of that, the phone isn't cool anymore and what's cool is purposely picking a non Iphone.
I found that so true.
Sent from someplace, and with something that you need not worry about.