Apple Buying Thousands Of Patents To Fight Samsung In Court

By: Talha Bhatti  |   November 17th, 2012   |   Apple, Business, Google, Mobile Apps, News

Apple has tried to stay on top of the mobile device marketplace by being innovative and also using patents and intellectual property protection laws to their full advantage. In its battle against competitors like Google and Samsung the company has been buying patents from the Rockstar Consortium to use as ammunition. The last six months have seen the California based company buy thousands of patents to take on rival Android and its related Samsung devices.

 

The Yonhap News made the story public when it reported what Apple had been up to thanks to a Korean regulators report that showed 1,024 patents or patent applications had been transferred to Apple from Rockstar. The latest US Patent and Trademark Office database search also supports the news.

 

Apple and Rockstar Consortium have a strong relationship because of the very large stake the maker of the iPhone has in Rockstar. The relationship started when Rockstar bid $4.5 billion for a portfolio of 4,000 patents on sale from Nortel Networks. Apple provided $2.6 billion for the purchase and was accompanied by Microsoft, Sony Ericsson, and RIM who all beat out Google.

 

Because of its deal with Rockstar, Apple could use the patent protected ideas and products but was unable to use them in a lawsuits. That is why the company felt the need to own them in order to use them in the court of law. The latest movement of patent ownership seems to be pointing in that direction. However, spokesman for Apple, Steve Dowling, and Microsoft have both declines any sort of comment on the issue.

 

Rockstar general counsel, Mike Dunleavy, did not comment on the matter but did say that, “No one shareholder owns a controlling interest in Rockstar Consortium.” We will have to wait and see how this news and the related patents effect the patent war between mobile hardware’s two largest players.

 

Source: Business Insider