Apple and Microsoft Come to an Agreement Over Smartphone Design

The lawsuit between Apple and Samsung has been going on for some time now with the only real losers being the consumers. Nevertheless, Microsoft has access to all the patents at the center of the suit, though there are provisions in place so Windows Phones don’t suddenly start looking like iPhones.

Notable developments in other coverage of the heated lawsuit between the two companies: Microsoft has a long-running patent cross licensing act with the iPhone maker. Apple’s director of patent licensing and strategy Boris Teksler was quoted recently discussing the suit.

According to Teksler, “Apple’s long-running cross-licensing deal with Microsoft allowed the Windows maker access to all the patents in the case, including design patents. With that said, there are specific rules in place with that deal to keep the two sides in check so that they don’t make a clone product. There’s a clear acknowledgment that there’s no cloning.”

Teksler is now stating that the company tried to form a pact with Samsung, though certain design approaches and user interfaces were untouchable. At first glance, this deal reflects those untouchables. The tiles in the Windows Phone are totally different from what is seen in the iPhone and Android Phones.

The lack of cloning,

and even resemblance, hasn’t paid off with huge market share for Windows Phone devices, though Microsoft has come up with a different approach and overall the smartphone market is better for it. I still think that this whole patent suit between Apple and Samsung is getting out of hand.

The suit has become so intense that some of Samsung has been forced to stop selling some of its products in the United States. Nobody knows when the suit will end or what the final result could be, though things aren’t looking like they are going in Samsung’s favor.

Source: ZDNet – Apple, Microsoft have smartphone design gentleman’s agreement