UPDATE: Microsoft Files EU Competition Complaint Against Motorola
February 22 2012 - 11:46AM
Dow Jones News
Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) said Wednesday it has filed a competition
complaint with the European Commission against Motorola Mobility
Inc (MMI) and its soon-to-be owner Google inc. (GOOG) in connection
with Motorola's handling of patents it holds that form part of
industry-wide standards for Internet connectivity.
The patents in question involve wireless access to the Internet
and online video streaming and affects products like Microsoft's
laptops and Xbox games consoles.
Microsoft charges that Motorola's high charges for the use of
its patents are in breach of an industry agreement to make patents
in industry standards available to all manufacturers at a minimum
cost.
It also complains that Motorola is seeking to block sales of
products using these patents if the payments aren't made.
"In legal proceedings on both sides of the Atlantic, Motorola is
demanding that Microsoft take its products off the market, or else
remove their standards-based ability to play video and connect
wirelessly," Dave Heiner said on the Microsoft blog. Heiner is Vice
President & Deputy General Counsel, Corporate Standards &
Antitrust Group at Microsoft.
"The only basis for these actions is that these products
implement industry standards, on which Motorola claims patents,"
Heiner said.
A spokesman for the EU commission confirmed receipt of
Microsoft's complaint, and said the commission will examine it.
Apple Inc. (APPL) has also recently filed a suit in California
aimed at warding off any injunctions from Motorola Mobility on one
of Apple's iPhones and last week made a similar complaint to the
European Commission.
Motorola has accused Apple of patent violation in the iPhone 4S,
but Apple claims it is protected under a license agreement from
Qualcomm Inc. (QCOM)
Last week, antitrust authorities in the U.S. and European Union
approved Google Inc.'s (GOOG) $12.5 billion acquisition of Motorola
Mobility.
"Google as its new owner doesn't seem to be willing to change
course," Microsoft said.
-By Sarah Sloat; Dow Jones Newswires; +49 69 29725501;
sarah.sloat@dowjones.com
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