ANY SURPRISE that Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 delivers a good experience might be tempered by the announcement that Microsoft has licensed technology from Palm.
The admission from the Vole that it is turning to Palm for help comes days after Microsoft sued Motorola for alleged patent infringement for using Google's Android operating system.
Microsoft has been saying for some time that Android is not free and that it's upcoming Windows Phone 7 operating system protects handset makers from potential litigation, such as its own against Motorola.
Now it seems that Microsoft has licensed technology from Palm in order to both add functionality that it couldn't code up itself and make sure that handset manufacturers who put Windows Phone 7 on their devices won't end up in court.
David Kaefer, general manager of intellectual property and licensing at Microsoft told Reuters, "By focusing on efficiently licensing patented innovations from other companies, we're free to develop great software and we're able to provide our partners and customers intellectual property peace-of-mind."
Although the news that Microsoft is licensing technology from a rival might raise a few eyebrows, the fact that it is Palm isn't all that surprising. Microsoft and Palm's new owner, HP, have a long history and this week at an event in Barcelona, HP gave considerable stage time to Microsoft to wax its lyrical about a 25 year 'special relationship' between the two. We were surprised that a box of tissues wasn't on stage. It is hardly likely that Microsoft will seek help from Google, Apple or the ailing Symbian operating system and risk alienating one of its biggest customers.
Palm's WebOS has been well received and smartphones running the operating system should tip up sometime next year. In the meantime Microsoft will be hoping that some of the same technology will help Windows Phone 7 succeed where its previous smartphone operating systems have failed, and provide stable and reliable service to users.
Windows Phone 7 devices are scheduled to tip up next week in the US.
It's not "web OS" or "WebOS" ... it's just "webOS"
ReplyDelete...other than that, decent write-up.
Correction made. Thanks for your comment
ReplyDelete