#16 - Qualcomm, BlackBerry stand with Google vs. Apple

Once again, FRAND pledged SEP's are back on the scene, and this time Google has an allies with Qualcomm and BlackBerry backing the defense of SEP-based injunctions against Apple. (Read the full story here on Foss' Patent Blog.)

I imagine this is how Apple is reacting right now

But in all seriousness, Apple has quite a bit on its hands right now with its case against Samsung being taken to Federal Courts for the first time, and in the meanwhile they've got their allies and their foes against them alongside Google.

In the complicated web of patent litigation, it turns out that Apple is actually a customer of Qualcomm for its OS ecosystem, but Google's Android platform is as well. The real tipping point for Qualcomm, I would think, is that they are the world's largest SEP-centric company, so their business model very much depends on the enforceability of SEP's. As a result in this case, Google's measures aligns more with their operating model. 

Another unexpected ally for Google is BlackBerry. And it turns out that Blackberry is not an avid, official supporter of any specific party per say, but BB clearly opposes the judge's stance and hence is mostly on Google's side.

This is becoming a hairy mess. They've even brought in law professors with specialty knowledge in IP litigation, and still not everyone emerges a winner. I suppose when something is brought into court, whether or not you've been business partners or not will have no bearing on your stance in court.