Ballmer Makes Me Laugh: Says Android isn't free... Because You Pay Them

[WenWM]

Now I am only posting this because Ballmer made me laugh when he said this. In an interview with WSJ, he spoke mostly about Windows Phone 7, but when the subject of Android comes up, he says some pretty funny stuff. He says while Windows Phone 7 is a paid OS, so is Android. Meaning Google might not charge you to use the OS, but this does not mean they, Microsoft, won't. That means the biggest profiter other than the manufacturer is supposedly Microsoft. This is because Microsoft owns a lot of the patents Android might be stepping on, and so they can get some money by suing or agreeing with the companies over patent fees.

This was funny to me when I read it, because this says the only reason they are suing now is to justify that Windows Phone 7 is worth the price. Techcrunch put it very simple for us why they are doing it.

waiting to spring this on OEMs when they had their own device out there that they need to gain traction against Android. Microsoft is giving phone makers a choice: pay us to use our software, or pay us to use Google’s software. Or pay your lawyers to fight us in court. (Motorola is apparently choosing the latter — no doubt at Google’s urging.)

This way of doing business is wrong and says a lot about Windows Phone 7, because if you have to force people to make devices for it, then its not that great. It's sad to see Microsoft work this hard just to fight against Android,and as we all know this is a fight they will not Win anytime soon.

Doesn't this whole thing make you laugh? Or am I just the only one.

News Via: TC

 

[Pandemic187]

And this is why Microsoft sued Motorola. Thing are really started to be uncovered now.

 

[chaz.ring]

lol..... I can't believe they are making such butt's of themselves in the public eye...:icon_eek:

 

[sweeeeet]

microsoft greedy? no way? really? haha they need to sue over patents to get money from a smartphone market that they will never be successful in

 

[DroidMastar2]

hmmm

I don't see a problem with Microsoft doing this because at the end of the day it's about a business making money. If the positions were swapped Google would do the same thing.

 

[UNC]

Well if Microsoft has legit patents that are being infringed they do deserve to get paid. Being that HTC already settled and is paying the fees, Motorola is in a losing situation. The precedent has been set, and in most court procedings that's all that matters.

Maybe Microsoft was holding these patents so that WinMo7 had "killer apps" that noone else had, if that's the case then they are completely in the right, and Google was wrong for infringing and for passing an infringing OS on to the manufacturers.

I know on an android forum my views may seem off-base.. don't flame me.

 

[Pandemic187]

I don't see a problem with Microsoft doing this because at the end of the day it's about a business making money. If the positions were swapped Google would do the same thing.

Seriously? While lawsuits are commonplace in the US nowadays, I don't think they are normally used for this reason. Android has been gaining ground rapidly for about a year now, and yet MS just decided to do this now. They could have done this in the past if they wanted to, but they do it now to try to leverage a favorable market position.

Do you really think Google would have done the same? I'm not saying Google is perfect - I'm just saying this isn't something every company would have done this. Normally companies gain a favorable market position by making a favorable product.

 

[Pandemic187]

Well if Microsoft has legit patents that are being infringed they do deserve to get paid. Being that HTC already settled and is paying the fees, Motorola is in a losing situation. The precedent has been set, and in most court procedings that's all that matters.

Maybe Microsoft was holding these patents so that WinMo7 had "killer apps" that noone else had, if that's the case then they are completely in the right, and Google was wrong for infringing and for passing an infringing OS on to the manufacturers.

I know on an android forum my views may seem off-base.. don't flame me.

See my previous post. MS could have sued a while back, but they waited until they were on the verge of releasing WP7. They would have done this months ago if it were for the sake of entitlement.

Plus, you'd also have to agree that mobile sync is patentable. Even if it is, there's no way that in 2010 one company can have the sole right to this feature.

 

[Jmart922]

Lame, I can't wait till windows 7 crashes and burns, like their next of kin (pun intended)

 

[Josefius]

Microsoft has always made me laugh.

 

[huskerkate]

Well if Microsoft has legit patents that are being infringed they do deserve to get paid. Being that HTC already settled and is paying the fees, Motorola is in a losing situation. The precedent has been set, and in most court procedings that's all that matters.

Maybe Microsoft was holding these patents so that WinMo7 had "killer apps" that noone else had, if that's the case then they are completely in the right, and Google was wrong for infringing and for passing an infringing OS on to the manufacturers.

I know on an android forum my views may seem off-base.. don't flame me.

fwiw, a settlement establishes no precedent in another proceeding. virtually all settlements expressly state that there is no admission of any wrongdoing. the suit between Moto and MS will be decided on whether or not there has, in fact, been any infringement - HTC's settlement will have no bearing on it.

personally, i agree with OP - this is somewhat comical, and all too typical for MS. we wouldn't be where we are today, technologically, without MS. but just because you can be a bully, doesn't mean you should. i hope Moto and Google take them to task!

 

[drtnsnw]

I am sure the fact that HTC builds win mo phones has nothing to do with the setelment also.

FWIW WinMo was the biggest waiste of my time phone I have ever had (TP2) It is a dying system

Chris

 

[AngDroid]

Well if Microsoft has legit patents that are being infringed they do deserve to get paid. Being that HTC already settled and is paying the fees, Motorola is in a losing situation. The precedent has been set, and in most court procedings that's all that matters.

Maybe Microsoft was holding these patents so that WinMo7 had "killer apps" that noone else had, if that's the case then they are completely in the right, and Google was wrong for infringing and for passing an infringing OS on to the manufacturers.

I know on an android forum my views may seem off-base.. don't flame me.

See my previous post. MS could have sued a while back, but they waited until they were on the verge of releasing WP7. They would have done this months ago if it were for the sake of entitlement.

Plus, you'd also have to agree that mobile sync is patentable. Even if it is, there's no way that in 2010 one company can have the sole right to this feature.

They were trying to work out deals with companies, thats why HTC and others agreed to pay MS. Moto held out so the next step for MS is to sue them. The timing could have just been a coincidence. MS gains nothing buy suing around the time WM7 launches. Do you think any consumer is going to say, I will get a WM7 phone instead of a Moto cause they are being sued?

--------

Now what Balmer should have said...due to the ads in apps such as google maps, google will be making a ton of money. That is the one thing I do not like about Android. I paid for the phone, it comes with Google Maps and I should not have to view any advertising with somehting paid for

 

[Pandemic187]

They were trying to work out deals with companies, thats why HTC and others agreed to pay MS. Moto held out so the next step for MS is to sue them. The timing could have just been a coincidence. MS gains nothing buy suing around the time WM7 launches. Do you think any consumer is going to say, I will get a WM7 phone instead of a Moto cause they are being sued?

No, but there is some speculation that this is Microsoft's way of forcing Moto to make WP7 phones. It's like this - "Either you pay us to make Android phones, or you can make WP7 phones and pay us nothing for Android phones."

Or maybe that's not true at all. But to me, the timing seems too coincidental.

 

[ark(i)tek]

Why is microsoft even bothering with a mobile phone OS again? They have never captured significant market share with their OS - they can barely manage to do the one thing they are supposed to do (pc operating system) correctly. What they should be very very scared of is Google entering the PC OS market and handing Microsoft their asses.
As to the lawsuit -this is just more big boi bullying - they all do it. Apple sues everyone, MS sues everyone, it has nothing to do with whether they will gain or lose market share - it's just another way to make money.
Just look at the RIAA - pretty soon lawsuits will be their only source of income..........