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Antitrust investigation examining Apple-led Nortel patent purchase

by Dave Caolo Jul 10th 2011 at 2:30PM

Antitrust officials are reportedly examining the recent consortium purchase of Nortel's patent portfolio. According to the Washington Post, the Feds are interested in determining how Google will be affected by the sale:

"Federal antitrust enforcers are scrutinizing whether Google, often accused of abusing its Web search power, is facing an unfair coalition of companies that could block its popular Android mobile phone software, according to a source close to the matter."

Specifically, it's the board reach of included patents that has drawn attention. Apple, EMC, Ericsson, Microsoft, RIM and Sony were among the consortium that took part in the sale. We'll have more on this story as it develops over time.



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Antitrust officials are reportedly examining the recent consortium purchase of Nortel's patent portfolio. According to the Washington...
 

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Michael Clanton

this was not apple led... apples dominance of music and phones does not mean MSFT does not have money, to even think so would be crazy. and it makes sense for microsoft and apple to team up on an unprotected operating system like android. just like apple could buy these by themselves, MSFT could to. ok back to enjoying my ipad2

July 11 2011 at 12:10 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Michael Clanton's comment
Montana Gordon Leet

The consortium was, actually, Apple led. Rockstar Bidco (Microsoft, RIM, etc) dropped out. Apple went to them after getting approval from Nortel, took their name and led the pack.

July 11 2011 at 2:15 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
wave9x

This is such a waste of tax payers' money. Android has the largest share of the smartphone market. How can this possibly have anything to do with antitrust? Google needs to suck it up and deal.

July 10 2011 at 6:14 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Howie Isaacks

Just a bunch of government bureaucrats interfering in legitimate business activity. Google lost! Welcome to the real world, morons!

July 10 2011 at 4:55 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
David Henderson

We'd be better served by a serious and thorough re-examination of the ideas behind the patent system rather than attempting to "level" the playing field on a case-by-case basis

July 10 2011 at 4:37 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
macserv

Yeah, because surely Google has always been fair and forthright with its competitors— especially Apple— where its "popular Android mobile phone software" is concerned.

July 10 2011 at 4:12 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
waitWHAT

"Specifically, it's the board reach of included patents that has drawn attention."

Wait, what? The "board" reach? Like the board of directors were reaching for the patents? Oh I know. They meant "bored" in the way Google got bored in trying to reach the patients and bid "pi" for them. Yeah, that's it.

July 10 2011 at 3:57 PM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
JHam

It's just like high school all over again, only this time with multibillion dollar companies instead of the jocks.

July 10 2011 at 3:17 PM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
Kootenay Redneck

It goes a lot deeper than we are seeing on the surface and are told in the press. It's not who you know in Washington but who you lobby.

July 10 2011 at 2:55 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
Mark

I don't understand why it needed to be a group. Apple didn't need help from anyone. Why regulators have to examine how this impacts Google is ludicrous. If the feds were so concerned about this sale, then should have come up with a way to get some patents to everyone interested in purchasing.

July 10 2011 at 2:48 PM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
Chris Maddox

I don't understand why Apple teamed up with a bunch of its competitors. They have enough cash to buy this patent pool a dozen times over by themselves, yet wanted to team up with RIM and MSFT?

July 10 2011 at 2:46 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Chris Maddox's comment
vikemosabe

it most likely has to do with 2 things.
1. They only wanted the lte/4g patent, and they didn't want the problem of being investigated by the Feds for this very issue.
That way they only spend enough to get what they were really after and by spreading the patent sale around they don't have as much likelihood of being seen as having acquired too many patents and having an unfair advantage.
Just my guess

July 10 2011 at 9:28 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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