Ouch.
All this bickering is troubling me. I understand the arguments coming from both sides and I’m going to have to side with Qualcomm on this one. They created a technology, which means investing R&D dollars, and now they want to be compensated for it. As much as I hate companies stifling innovation by patenting every tiny thing possible, this is capitalism at work.
Now if Qualcomm was charging Nokia more than the other phone manufactures then that would be a totally different story. Six companies in total have filed complaints against Qualcomm’s pricing to the European Commission.
Why can’t these 6 companies just boycott paying Qualcomm? That would be the equivalent of the Pullman strike, but on an international level.
Here is a better idea: OPK and Paul Jacobs should compete in a few gladiator sports; I’d pay to see that.
UPDATE: Nokia just released this press release detailing how Qualcomm also uses Nokia patents. I’m now neutral on this topic since there is a lot of information I don’t have to accurately make a judgment call. I wonder how much the lawyers are making off of this case?