The Xbox 360 has been banned from sale in Germany, following a ruling in a Microsoft versus Motorola patent spat.
The phone-maker was granted an injunction against the popular console, as well as key Microsoft products like Windows 7 system software, Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player, the BBC reports.
A German court ruled that Microsoft's products infringed the stuffing out of two Motorola patents related to the H.264 compression standard. Motorola says Microsoft should have paid to license the patented tech, but the Windows-crafting company has said that if it honoured all of Motorola's requests it would be landed with a $4bn (about £2.47bn) bill.
Microsoft seems unphased, saying, "our business in Germany will continue as usual while we appeal this decision."
Lawks. The case echoes courtroom clashes between Apple and Samsung, where the Cupertino company successfully got gadgets like the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 banned from sale in Europe. Samsung got Apple products briefly banned in Germany back in February, but the court's decision was quickly overturned.
Tech companies using litigation to try and inconvenience each other has become the norm, but with products yanked from trade shows or made to undergo redesigns, it feels like judicial dust-ups are getting on everyone's nerves.
How should Microsoft respond? Let me know in the comments or on our Facebook wall.
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Comments 11
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billfred 2 May, 2012 15:22
So happy I don't live in Germany as they seem to be banning everything atm.
anonymous 2 May, 2012 15:42
Let's all boycott Motorola in protest... oh wait... noone really buys their stuff here anyway
james79 2 May, 2012 18:12
Well at least microsoft can get their products to work!
Matteo Paparoni 2 May, 2012 18:49
Seriously Google (owner of Motorola), what happened to "Don't be evil"?
ace9988 2 May, 2012 22:03
well look at the other scale....microsoft takes license fees from nearly 60% of android handset makers for their sales (e.g. HTC pay something like $5 for every android handset they sell)
and since according to google, "microsoft and apple are waging a hostile campaign".....time for motorola (google) for flex its muscles and shake its patent folder.
To be fair, either this needs to end for companies to get one with just making good products, otherwise this is great publicity for everyone and their products at the end of the day
anonymous 3 May, 2012 12:04
Google brought Moto to fight back. If they fight dirty with Google why shouldn't they do it back?
anonymous 3 May, 2012 21:38
f*** motorola
anonymous 6 May, 2012 13:40
Nice way google can raise a lil bit of money to make some brilliant android phones.
anonymous 24 May, 2012 15:00
Good on Motorola, if M'soft think it's OK to incorporate such technology without paying all license fees.
Benjamin Maeglin Anwarünya Spry 12 June, 2012 15:56
I do not think this is one bit fair to Microsoft and not to mention the xbox 360 gamers who live in germany! :O Can't imagine life without my xbox 360 so glad I don't live in germany
anonymous 6 October, 2012 02:34
hi there me too i live for hard core gaming wii xbox 360 and next gen xbox 720 and wii u