Will RIM Be Able To Wiggle Out Of The NTP Patent Payment?

from the second-thoughts... dept

Back in March we were quite surprised that RIM decided to give in and pay NTP for its questionable patents on mobile email. After all, the only thing that had changed was that NTP had paid off RIM's main competitor in order to get them to license the patents as well. In fact, not even a month after RIM gave in, one of the patents in question was rejected by the patent office, and the indication was that the others might not stand either. That's why it's interesting to hear RIM now saying that they can't come to final terms with NTP over the agreement. It makes you wonder, just a bit, if RIM has had second thoughts and is trying to wiggle out of the agreement. However, from the details, it sounds like NTP is the one holding up the process. Given the shaky platform on which their patents stand, you would think that it's in their best interest to get the deal done, get whatever money they can and to run away as quickly as possible.