Speaking of Google sanctioned phones, Microsoft sued Motorola today for patent infringements based on Moto’s use of Android OS. I find the timing a bit strange. Remember back in April Microsoft made a similar threat against HTC and HTC signed a licensing agreement with Microsoft paying Microsoft a license fee for each Android handset HTC sold.
And then Microsoft waited until 1 Oct. to drop the other shoe and go after Motorola. Why the wait? One can speculate but who knows. In any case it’s not insurmountable for Android but what it will mean is that Motorola or HTC use of Android will now be pretty close in cost to using Windows Phone 7 thus making WinPhone7 more desirable (or at least less undersireable) and I’m sure Microsoft hopes this will increase the use of WinPhone7 by handset makers. A bit Michael Schumacherish in style perhaps but Microsoft has always ridden hard on their partners. As Jobs would say… its in their DNA.
