谷歌(Google)將對(duì)于蘋果公司(Apple Inc.)索求約數(shù)十億美元的巨額，作為其使用無(wú)線手機(jī)制造商摩托羅拉移動(dòng)公司(Motorola Mobility Inc.)所屬專利的授權(quán)費(fèi)用。Google此舉預(yù)計(jì)將可為其帶來(lái)足以與蘋果進(jìn)行交叉授權(quán)協(xié)商的優(yōu)勢(shì)，并有利于長(zhǎng)久以來(lái)的專利戰(zhàn)局開啟新的局面。
Google 公司于去年收購(gòu)摩托羅拉移動(dòng)公司，預(yù)計(jì)這一收購(gòu)移動(dòng)將在本季完成。根據(jù)消息來(lái)源透露，Google將會(huì)要求蘋果以及移動(dòng)手持市場(chǎng)的其它競(jìng)爭(zhēng)廠商為每項(xiàng)產(chǎn)品銷售支付2.25%的銷售額，作為其合理使用摩托羅拉專利的授權(quán)費(fèi)用。然而，蘋果及其它競(jìng)爭(zhēng)廠商打算在法院對(duì)此提出抗議，并以其所控制的專利施壓以要求協(xié)商讓步。然而，從最近法院所作出的裁決來(lái)看，情勢(shì)已明顯轉(zhuǎn)變得對(duì)于Google更有優(yōu)勢(shì)。
據(jù)估計(jì)，Google最后將可從競(jìng)爭(zhēng)對(duì)手處取得高達(dá)數(shù)十億美元的授權(quán)費(fèi)用。至少，透過(guò)摩托羅拉強(qiáng)大的IP組合也有助于Google緩解其與蘋果對(duì)簿公堂的訴訟問(wèn)題，使其得以繼續(xù)推動(dòng) Android 操作系統(tǒng)進(jìn)展，不必再擔(dān)心不斷出現(xiàn)的種種挑戰(zhàn)。當(dāng)然，這也將有助于使 Android 授權(quán)廠商－－如三星電子(Samsung Electronics)－－減少或不必再支付授權(quán)費(fèi)用給微軟等公司(Microsoft Corp.)。
在Google寫 給IEEE主席Gordon Day的一封信中詳細(xì)說(shuō)明了未來(lái)的可能發(fā)展。信中提到Google在本季完成收購(gòu)摩托羅拉后，預(yù)計(jì)將對(duì)于使用摩托羅拉專利的科技公司提出合理授權(quán)條款。 Google并未指名任何目前或未來(lái)可能采用這些專利的廠商，但很顯然地，蘋果與微軟將首當(dāng)其沖。
摩托羅拉日前已經(jīng)使蘋果與微軟陷于新一波的專利戰(zhàn)局中。它在歐洲的一個(gè)法院中取得了勝利──德國(guó)法院判決蘋果違反摩托羅拉一項(xiàng)與iCloud服務(wù)有關(guān)的專利，iPhone與iPad等產(chǎn)品還一度從德國(guó)線上商店下架。
在這場(chǎng)專利戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)中的競(jìng)爭(zhēng)廠商們明顯地采取了較過(guò)去一年得更積極的移動(dòng)。他們已經(jīng)從單純地贏得客戶的心和想法，轉(zhuǎn)變?yōu)椴扇∫恍┓墒侄蝸?lái)削弱競(jìng)爭(zhēng)。蘋果、 Google、微軟、宏達(dá)電(HTC)和三星等公司過(guò)去一年來(lái)一直深陷于全球各法院的訴訟中。蘋果公司已經(jīng)分別在澳洲與德國(guó)的法院中取得對(duì)于三星公司的禁 制令，同樣地在這兩個(gè)國(guó)家的法院也審理其有關(guān)控制專利與侵權(quán)的行為。
Google公司最近的移動(dòng)為所有相關(guān)的廠商帶來(lái)了睹注，尤其是蘋果公司－－在智能手機(jī)與平板電腦市場(chǎng)取得了壓倒性的勝利后，正使該公司在某些方面已成為各方最大的競(jìng)爭(zhēng)目標(biāo)。事實(shí)上，Google和蘋果分別就是彼此最主要的敵人－－在已故的蘋果CEO喬布斯(Steve Jobs)的傳記中，他就曾經(jīng)誓言將不惜一切代價(jià)也要發(fā)動(dòng)熱核戰(zhàn)摧毀Google的勢(shì)力。
因此，Google之所以會(huì)將火力最大的qiang口瞄準(zhǔn)蘋果，這其實(shí)是很容易理解的。收購(gòu)摩托羅拉也著實(shí)為Google帶來(lái)了強(qiáng)大的武力后盾。摩托羅拉擁有數(shù)千項(xiàng)的專利將協(xié)助Google保護(hù)其免于受到法律移動(dòng)波及，并壓縮蘋果的市場(chǎng)銷售。
本文下一頁(yè)：蘋果反稱摩托羅拉濫用高通的專利
本文授權(quán)編譯自EBN Online，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載
相關(guān)閱讀：
• Google：將繼續(xù)公正提供Motorola Mobility專利授權(quán)
• 不服Motorola Mobility欲收2.25%專利費(fèi)，Apple醞釀反擊
• 專利大戶TOP50排名，鴻海位居第9gJCesmc
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Google已經(jīng)開始拴緊螺絲準(zhǔn)備加強(qiáng)控制了。據(jù)透露，Google在發(fā)給IEEE的聲明信中承諾將在整個(gè)業(yè)界推動(dòng)動(dòng)“公平、合理且非歧視”(FRAND)使用工程專利的精神。但這也明白地警告著競(jìng)爭(zhēng)對(duì)手，Google計(jì)劃將自這些專利使用中獲得補(bǔ)償。
Google在信中提道，該公司尊重摩托羅拉“在FRAND的基礎(chǔ)上授權(quán)摩托羅拉基本要專利主張的承諾”，然而，該公司也將為每項(xiàng)相關(guān)的終端產(chǎn)品收取最多2.25%的銷售額，作為交叉授權(quán)或取得授權(quán)使用的費(fèi)用。
這意味著如果蘋果iPhone使用或侵犯到任何摩托羅拉的專利，那么就必須為每一支iPhone的銷售付給Google最高2.25%的銷售額或15美元。 如果蘋果每一季的iPhone和iPad持續(xù)熱賣，那么，很快地就能為Google累積達(dá)數(shù)億美元的收入。此外，強(qiáng)制執(zhí)行這一專利授權(quán)移動(dòng)也為 Google帶來(lái)足以與蘋果進(jìn)行交叉授權(quán)的協(xié)商優(yōu)勢(shì)。
蘋果當(dāng)然不會(huì)就此示弱，他們?cè)谛瞧谖澹?月10日）提交了一份對(duì)摩托羅拉移動(dòng)公司的訴訟，要求阻止摩托羅拉在德國(guó)對(duì)蘋果的指控。
報(bào)道稱，摩托羅拉在德國(guó)對(duì)蘋果的訴訟中涉及的專利，是摩托羅拉與其通信芯片供應(yīng)商Qualcomm共享專利許可協(xié)議的。
蘋果認(rèn)為，作為高通的客戶，蘋果應(yīng)該是摩托羅拉和高通專利許可協(xié)議下的第三方受益人，根據(jù)該協(xié)議，摩托羅拉不能斷言蘋果侵犯其專利。
我相信，存在業(yè)界已久的這一專利戰(zhàn)局將邁向一個(gè)新的階段，最終還可能結(jié)束這一戰(zhàn)火。接下來(lái)可能還會(huì)有更多的沖突與爭(zhēng)執(zhí)出現(xiàn)，但終究將能為各方廠商帶來(lái)最佳利益，使其解決爭(zhēng)議不休的專利議題并取得交叉授權(quán)的協(xié)議，同時(shí)將精神專 注于強(qiáng)化產(chǎn)品的優(yōu)勢(shì)，而能更直接有效地?fù)魯「?jìng)爭(zhēng)對(duì)手。
編譯：Susan Hong
本文授權(quán)編譯自EBN Online，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載
參考英文原文：：Google Seeks Hefty Royalties From Apple & Other Foes，by Bolaji Ojo
相關(guān)閱讀：
• Google：將繼續(xù)公正提供Motorola Mobility專利授權(quán)
• 不服Motorola Mobility欲收2.25%專利費(fèi)，Apple醞釀反擊
• 專利大戶TOP50排名，鴻海位居第9gJCesmc
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Google Seeks Hefty Royalties From Apple & Other Foes
Bolaji Ojo
Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) wants a pound of flesh from Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL) for the use of patents owned by the wireless handset manufacturer Motorola Mobility Inc. (NYSE: MMI), which Google has offered to buy.
Reports indicate Google may demand that Apple and other rivals in the mobile handset market pay as much as 2.25 percent of the unit price of their products for the use of Motorola patents. Apple and the rest of the competition are bound to challenge this request in court and press for concessions based on patents they control, but recent court rulings have shifted the advantage heavily in Google's favor.
At best, Google could end up with billions in annual royalty receipts from competitors. At worst, the deep Motorola intellectual property portfolio could help Google ease out of its court problems with Apple and continue advancing the Android operating system without fear of constant challenges. This, of course, would also help Android licensees like Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Korea: SEC) reduce or eliminate royalty payments to companies like Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT).
A letter sent yesterday to Gordon Day, president of the IEEE, spelled out how that future is likely to unfold. It detailed Google's terms for the use of Motorola patents by other technology companies after the acquisition, which is expected to close this quarter. Google didn't mention any current or potential patent users by name, but it's clear that Apple and Microsoft are most likely to be impacted.
Motorola is locked in a patent war with both Apple and Microsoft. It clinched victory in one courtroom battle in Europe when a German court ruled that Apple was in violation of a Motorola patent related to the iCloud service. Motorola won another case in Germany recently, this one focused on cellular communications. The ruling in that case has been suspended pending an appeal, and Motorola has to post ?00 million ($132 million) in collateral if it wants to enforce the iCloud injunction.
Clearly, the players in this war have become more aggressive in the last year. They have shifted from simply winning customers' hearts and minds to using legal tactics to cripple the competition. Apple, Google, Microsoft, HTC, and Samsung are locked in numerous lawsuits in courts worldwide. Apple has won injunctions against Samsung in Australia and Germany, but it has been dealt setbacks by courts in both countries in its efforts to curb alleged infringements of its patents.
Google's latest move raised the stakes significantly for all parties involved, but especially for Apple, which in some ways has become the biggest competitive target as a result of its overwhelming success in the smartphone and tablet markets. In fact, Google and Apple are arch-enemies -- in his authorized biography, the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs vowed to do whatever he could to clip Google's wings.
It's understandable, therefore, that Google would be aiming its biggest guns at Apple. Buying Motorola would add tremendous firepower to Google's arsenal. The thousands of patents in that kitty would help Google protect itself against legal actions and put a squeeze on Apple.
Google has already started tightening the screws. The letter to the IEEE purportedly showed its commitment to the industrywide practice of FRAND (fair, reasonable, and nondiscriminatory) use of engineering patents. But it also served as a warning to the competition that Google expects to be compensated for the use of the patents.
In the letter, Google wrote that it would honor Motorola's "commitments to license the acquired MMI Essential Patent Claims on RAND terms," though it would require payment of "a maximum per-unit royalty of 2.25% of the net selling price for the relevant end product on a go-forward basis, subject to offsets for the value of any cross-licenses or other consideration received from the licensee."
What this means in practical terms is that Apple could end up paying 2.25 percent, or as much as $15 per iPhone, to Google if it uses or infringes upon any of the Motorola patents. This could add up to hundreds of millions of dollars quickly if Apple continues to sell tens of millions of iPhones and iPads each quarter. Additionally, enforcing the patents could give Google considerable leverage in negotiations for cross-licensing agreements with Apple.
I believe we are entering a new phase in this patent war that could lead to the end. There will be additional skirmishes, but in the end, it is in the best interests of all the parties to settle, agree to cross-licensing of disputed patents, and focus their energies on beating rivals squarely on the strength of their products.
