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Barnes & Noble has filed its response to Microsoft’s claim from earlier this year that the Android-based Nook e-reader violates Microsoft patents — complete with allegations around Microsoft’s tactics around patent-enforcement tactics and royalty-charging plans.
The Barnes & Noble response to Microsoft’s complaint, dated April 25, makes some interesting counter-arguments regarding Microsoft’s plans to combat Android, going so far as to bring antitrust allegations involving Nokia, Microsoft’s newest mobile phone partner, into it.
“On information and belief, as part of Microsoft’s recently announced agreement with Nokia to replace Nokia’s Symbian operating system with Microsoft’s own mobile device operating system, Microsoft and Nokia discussed and apparently agreed upon a strategy for coordinated offensive use of their patents,” says the B&N filing. “This type of horizontal agreement between holders of significant patent portfolios is per se illegal under the antitrust laws, threatens competition for mobile device operating systems and is further evidence of Microsoft’s efforts to dominate and control Android and other open source operating systems.”
