Google Withdraws Two Patent Claims Against Microsoft

[zakislam]

Google drops patents previously filed by subsidiary Motorola Mobility.

Google Withdraws Two Patent Claims Against Microsoft : Read more

 

[abbadon_34]

if H264 royalties are the problem, use x264. I don't understand the problem. If microsoft too lazy to switch from h264 to x264, or is google just pissed it got duped into buying a codec with a better, free alternative?

 

[joytech22]

[citation][nom]abbadon_34[/nom]if H264 royalties are the problem, use x264. I don't understand the problem. If microsoft too lazy to switch from h264 to x264, or is google just pissed it got duped into buying a codec with a better, free alternative?[/citation]

What are you talking about?
1. It isn't that simple
2. Google isn't "pissed" about anything, they are just cleaning up the mess Motorola was making before Google obtained them.

 

[Guest]

Hmm...

10 PRINT "MIKROSOFT THIEF, ID HAVE TO HAVE MY HANDS ALL OVER AGAIN"
20 GOTO 10
END

 

[Soda-88]

[citation][nom]abbadon_34[/nom]if H264 royalties are the problem, use x264. I don't understand the problem. If microsoft too lazy to switch from h264 to x264, or is google just pissed it got duped into buying a codec with a better, free alternative?[/citation]
H.264 is format standard, x264 is H.264 encoder. Apples and oranges.

 

[Shin-san]

They should go through the MPEG LA for the licensing, both Google and Microsoft. There's a patent pool for that

 

[alextheblue]

[citation][nom]Shin-san[/nom]They should go through the MPEG LA for the licensing, both Google and Microsoft. There's a patent pool for that[/citation]The problem is that Motorola owns at least one standards-essential H.264 patent, and they're not playing ball. MPEG LA agreements don't protect you if they're missing an essential patent owned by a hostile company (Motorola/Google). Motorola was involved in H.264's creation, and during the development they agreed (made commitments to the big standards bodies) to license their H.264 patent(s) under FRAND terms. Since Motorola Mobility fell on hard times, however, they have basically abandoned that path and have started demanding huge and ridiculous licensing fees that are not even CLOSE to being in line with FRAND.

What's really horrendously ironic is that Google was anti-H.264 before they bought Motorola's mobile arm. They pushed their own WebM and even Ogg standards, and preached free and open - until they got their hands on Motorola Mobility. Now they're continuing down the H.264 war path that Motorola started. I thought H.264 patent mess was bad for the internet, Google? Oh wait, that was before you owned any vital H.264 patents!

I'm hoping that H.265 will include stronger legally binding FRAND agreements, because as nice and free as WebM and Vorbis are, they're simply inferior in actual use as compression technologies.

 

[falchard]

I think google realized that if it tried to sue Microsoft over H.264 patents they would be under breach of contract and would have to pay Microsoft more then they are demanding. The H.264 standard has multiple patent holders from multiple companies including Microsoft. I would imagine a contract needs to be formed between these companies before H.264 could become a standard or else you are left with a legal nightmare and an unusable codec.

 

[p05esto]

I'm sure MS just opened up their binder of patents and said "either drop your claims or we'll unleash hell upon you". Certainly MS owns some serious patents out there, they just don't go around suing everyone over them. I respect that MS tries to work out licensing agreements that are fair and don't hinder progress. Companies like Apple, Google and others seems to rather sue.

 

[gravewax]

[citation][nom]abbadon_34[/nom]if H264 royalties are the problem, use x264. I don't understand the problem. If microsoft too lazy to switch from h264 to x264, or is google just pissed it got duped into buying a codec with a better, free alternative?[/citation]
Perhaps you should do some basic research before commenting. x264 is free software library to ENCODE into h264 not for playback.