Google has filed an antitrust complaint against Microsoft and Nokia with European Commission alleging that Nokia and Microsoft are partnering with other companies to enforce their patents related to smartphones and split the resulting revenue.
"Nokia and Microsoft are colluding to raise the costs of mobile devices for consumers, creating patent trolls that side step promises both companies have made," a Google spokesman said. "They should be held accountable, and we hope our complaint spurs others to look into these practices."
Google, which said it acted preemptively, said that threat poses a risk for its Android partners and could force them to jump ship to Windows Phone instead, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Google alleged that Microsoft and Nokia, which cooperate on smartphone technology and production, transferred 1,200 patents for assertion to a group called MOSAID, which the company called a "patent troll", a term referring to a holder of patents that litigates them aggressively.
It said it sent a copy of its complaint to officials at the Federal Trade Commissionin the U.S. as well.
"Nokia and Microsoft are colluding to raise the costs of mobile devices for consumers, creating patent trolls that side step promises both companies have made," a Google spokesman said. "They should be held accountable, and we hope our complaint spurs others to look into these practices."
Reacting to Google’s complaint Microsoft said, “Google is complaining about patents when it won’t respond to growing concerns by regulators, elected officials and judges about its abuse of standard essential patents, and it is complaining about antitrust in the smartphone industry when it controls more than 95% of mobile search and advertising," the company said in an email statement. "This seems like a desperate tactic on their part."
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