Motorola Android Devices Face Ban from US ITC over Microsoft Patent Dispute

[dgstorm]

It seems that all the lawsuits against Android are beginning to gain traction and cause problems. According to a new report, several older Motorola phones have now been banned because of a Motorola patent dispute with Microsoft. The actual phones named in this new development have not been released; however, here's a quote with some details, followed by a list of phones that could end up being banned,

The US International Trade Commission issued a limited exclusion order banning certain Motorola Android devices from being imported to the U.S. after determining that the devices infringe on a patent held by Microsoft.

• Motorola's Atrix
• Backflip
• Bravo
• Charm
• Cliq
• Cliq 2
• Cliq XT
• Defy
• Devour
• Droid 2
• Droid 2 Global
• Droid Pro
• Droid X
• Droid X2
• Flipout
• Flipside
• Spice
• Xoom

Here's a quote detailing the public responses to the ongoing legal battle,

"Microsoft started its ITC investigation asserting 9 patents against Motorola Mobility," Motorola said in a statement to TechRadar.

"Although we are disappointed by the Commission's ruling that certain Motorola Mobility products violated one patent, we look forward to reading the full opinion to understand its reasoning. Motorola Mobility will not experience any impact in the near term, as the Commission's ruling is subject to a $0.33/per unit bond during the 60 day Presidential review period. We will explore all options including appeal."

For their part, Microsoft has expressed a desire to reach a licensing agreement with Motorola.

"Microsoft sued Motorola in the ITC only after Motorola chose to refuse Microsoft's efforts to renew a patent license for well over a year," Microsoft's corporate VP and deputy general counsel David Howard said in a statement to TechRadar. "We're pleased the full Commission agreed that Motorola has infringed Microsoft's intellectual property, and we hope that now Motorola will be willing to join the vast majority of Android device makers selling phones in the US by taking a license to our patents."

Source: TechRadar

 

[djspy]

Smoked by Windows.

 

[tjk629]

How can they ban half of those phones? They've been end of life for a while.

 

[Dave12308]

I'd like to know exactly which Microsoft patent these specific phones violate. Probably nothing, Microsoft just thinks they own a patent on everything tech related.

 

[NeoPhoenixTE]

Doesn't really affect all that much if these are the only models. Like tjk said, the models listed hit end of life sometime ago.

Although it does mean my old D2 might now be a somewhat of a collector's item.

 

[johnomaz]

I'd like to know exactly which Microsoft patent these specific phones violate. Probably nothing, Microsoft just thinks they own a patent on everything tech related.

I too would like to know which patent it was. Also, why only Motorola. Did the other phone manufacturers get a licensing deal?

 

[Dave12308]

I too would like to know which patent it was. Also, why only Motorola. Did the other phone manufacturers get a licensing deal?

The OP does mention that other Android phone manufacturers aside from Moto had worked out a licensing deal, so to answer your question - yes, apparently they did.

 

[MissionImprobable]

Patents mess is bogus. This is CNN.

 

[jroc]

I'm curious whats different about the Bionic and RAZR. And Atrix 2. And Droid 3 and 4. And Photon...lol. I keep remembering phones right before I hit Post...

 

[tjk629]

I'm curious whats different about the Bionic and RAZR. And Atrix 2. And Droid 3 and 4. And Photon...lol. I keep remembering phones right before I hit Post...

Let's see.

The Photon has a Tegra 2 CPU and a kick stand. Also runs WiMAX. I think this is the only Moto phone that does it.

The rest of them run TI OMAP 4430s running between 1-1.2GHz.

All have 1GB of RAM, except the D3 which has 512MB. All have 4+" qHD resolution displays.

I think the RAZR is the only one with the Super AMOLED Advance display.

The D4 and RAZR don't have removable batteries, and have 1.3 FFCs that can do 720p video recording. The rest just have VGA FFCs.

All of them have 8MP rear cameras, and all should have 1080p video. At launch the Photon didn't, but it was supposed to get it in an update.

 

[MissionImprobable]

You kick me in the nuts, I kick you in the nuts:

This Man Wants to See the Xbox 360 Banned From Sale (And he Might Actually Succeed)

 

[jroc]

Let's see.

The Photon has a Tegra 2 CPU and a kick stand. Also runs WiMAX. I think this is the only Moto phone that does it.

The rest of them run TI OMAP 4430s running between 1-1.2GHz.

All have 1GB of RAM, except the D3 which has 512MB. All have 4+" qHD resolution displays.

I think the RAZR is the only one with the Super AMOLED Advance display.

The D4 and RAZR don't have removable batteries, and have 1.3 FFCs that can do 720p video recording. The rest just have VGA FFCs.

All of them have 8MP rear cameras, and all should have 1080p video. At launch the Photon didn't, but it was supposed to get it in an update.

lol..I meant what's different about them that they aren't named in the lawsuit. Excellent breakdown btw....