Free for a Fee

Today’s decision ends one major front in a patent battle between Microsoft and Motorola that began in 2010. Microsoft has long claimed it has patents that must be licensed by all Android device makers, and Motorola has long been the biggest holdout. When Microsoft sued Motorola over patents in 2010, Motorola shot back with its own patent licensing demands, suggesting it should be paid a 2.25 percent royalty on Windows and Xbox machines, which would have added up to around $4 billion.