Bizzaro world: Apple licensing iOS design patents to... Microsoft

Apple are licensing iOS design patents to Microsoft.

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Sorry for the attention-grabbing headline, but it really is necessary because this is quite the bizarro world right now to read, and report on this. But, Apple are licensing some of their iOS design patents to Microsoft.

Bizzaro world: Apple licensing iOS design patents to... Microsoft | TweakTown.com

The news was unveiled during the ongoing patent slapping game between Apple and Samsung, with a Reuters reporter commenting that the information came from Boris Teksler, Apple's director of patent licensing and strategy, who went on to explain that the deal also features an "anticloning" agreement.

Ian Sherr, a reporter for Dow Jones and the Wall Street Journal has said that the design patents are covered under a cross-licensing agreement that the two heavyweight company's have set up.

Cloning is the biggest piece of this puzzle, as its at the crux of the issue between Samsung and Apple right now with Samsung accused (and having to defend themselves in court over) copying some of the iOS design traits that they use in their Android-powered devices. Steve Jobs famously called Android "stolen" and that he promised to go to "thermonuclear war" over the issue.

Microsoft have sidestepped the problem altogether, by firstly avoiding to copy iOS, and secondly, this news of licensing iOS design patents. Your thoughts?

NEWS SOURCE:electronista.com

Anthony joined the TweakTown team in 2010 and has since reviewed 100s of graphics cards. Anthony is a long time PC enthusiast with a passion of hate for games built around consoles. FPS gaming since the pre-Quake days, where you were insulted if you used a mouse to aim, he has been addicted to gaming and hardware ever since. Working in IT retail for 10 years gave him great experience with custom-built PCs. His addiction to GPU tech is unwavering and has recently taken a keen interest in artificial intelligence (AI) hardware.

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