Google has bought up just over 1,000 patents from IBM to help defend itself in patent lawsuits against aspects of its smartphone technology. The company claims that a “hostile environment” for intellectual property has been created in the technology world by Apple and Microsoft.
At stakes is Google’s Android technology, which the company has left open to outside developers. As a result, the company faces suits that allege that Google has benefited from the work of others researchers and developers.
Google acquired a separate cache of 1,030 patents from IBM in a July deal. 17,000 more patents will come Google’s way when it finalizes its $12.5 billion acquisition of Motorola.
Read more at Bloomberg.
