One of the most important patent infringement trials in today's smartphone wars is happening today in Germany, with Microsoft prosecuting Google for its infringement of a "computer system for identifying local resources and method therefor", which the Google Maps app violates.
http://www.fosspatents.com/2013/03/google-about-to-lose-patent-spat-with.html
The trial has been labeled the "climax to date in the so-called smartphone wars", and its implications are huge: Google and Motorola may have to discontinue their Google Maps mobile service in Germany if Microsoft wins, and Microsoft is indeed favored to win the case against Google.
Interestingly, companies such as HTC, Samsung, and LG who use the Android operating system, had previously recognized Microsoft's patents over the technology and sought license agreements, which Microsoft has accepted (this has been Microsoft's strategy throughout most of the ongoing patent wars, in stark contrast to Apple). This in and of itself indicates that Google is probably on the losing end of this battle.
Another interesting facet of this is that Microsoft initially asserted litigation over Motorola for this patent. In response, Motorola claimed they had no knowledge of how Google's servers operate, and therefore could not be held liable to the infringement. However, once Google acquired Motorola, Microsoft adjusted its claim to target Google instead, and Motorola's previous defense obviously no longer stands.
The irony of this is that Google acquired Motorola largely for its patents, and became a big player in the patent wars (especially against Apple) right after it acquired Motorola. Therefore it's ironic that in this particular case, acquiring Motorola probably made them lose.
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