We reported back on Canada Day (July 1) that Nortel managed to sell off its patent portfolio to a large consortium for $4.5 billion dollars. At the time we noted that the consortium, consisting of Apple, Microsoft, RIM, Ericsson, EMC, and Sony, could face some legal troubles because Google and others were reportedly looking into making an official complaint with the courts about the sale of the patents.
It seems that the worry about the patent sale falling through based on the rulings of judges both in Canada and the U.S. was a bit unfounded. Courts in both countries approved the sale of assets to the consortium today. Six thousand patents have now switched hands from Nortel to the consortium members. It’s being assumed that Apple went to great lengths to keep Google from winning the patents, and that the company may plan on recuperating some of the costs through litigation, according to some analysts.
The patents include a vast number of wireless, 4G LTE, networking, optical, voice, Internet, service provider, and semiconductor patents. Along with the other news today that Apple has filed another claim with the ITC over HTC’s illegal use of technologies patented by the company in a number of their handsets, it looks like these 6000 patents could be the cause for some alarm for companies not only including Google, but also others who have built handsets to compete in the red hot smartphone market.
Looks like the hounds of Cupertino may soon be dispatched with legal letters. Better get ready guys.
