Android Patent Wars: A Mid-2012 Litigation Roundup

The big picture

The author said the series had become less fun and more worrying. A feature about patent trolls argued that few people actually benefit, and the fight had moved beyond trolls to a near all-out war between Apple and Samsung. The author felt Apple was hurting its own reputation by seeking to clear competitors from the market rather than collect damages.

Headlines in the roundup

• Microsoft licensing: Coby and Aluratek became the latest Android makers to license patents from Microsoft.
• Too many patents: an American appeals judge argued that the US has too many patents, and that patent law treats all industries alike even though the need for incentives varies.
• Fujifilm versus Motorola Mobility: Fujifilm sued over Android-related patents.
• Apple’s share: a study found Apple involved in about 60% of patent lawsuits.
• German court: it rejected Apple’s claim that the Motorola Xoom infringed the iPad’s design.
• Standard-essential patents: Google asked a US Senate committee to treat certain Apple patents as standard essential. The author admitted not fully understanding the debate.
• Minecraft: its creator was sued over how an Android game checks registration. It was not an Android problem, but Android became the focus of the story.
• Australia: a judge called the Samsung and Apple case ridiculous and asked why it was not sent to mediation.
• Mediation: talks between top executives of Apple and Samsung ended without agreement.
• Europe: Apple won a sales ban on the Galaxy Tab 7.7 but an injunction against the Galaxy Tab 10.1N was denied.
• Damages: Apple reportedly sought $2.5 billion from Samsung while offering a tiny amount per Samsung patent.
• Design patents: the author doubted that a rectangular device can be a protectable design.
• Microsoft motion: Microsoft asked to keep patent licence terms hidden in the Apple v. Samsung case.

Why it still matters

These cases shaped how phone makers designed and sold Android devices. The specific outcomes reported here were a snapshot in time, and later rulings changed them.