editor's blog
Subscribe Now

Google’s $12.5 Billion Moat Monster

Thomas Jefferson must be rolling in his grave.

Google wants to spend $12.5 billion to acquire the part of Motorola that still makes cell phones, but it’s really Moto’s patents, not its hardware, that is the real attraction. How important are the patents? During the official announcement, Google CEO Larry Page used the words “defend” and protect” several times, but never once mentioned “innovation,” “enabling,” or invention.” In short, Moto’s portfolio of 17,000 patents (with another 7,000 pending) will be used to build a defensive moat around the company.

How broken is that? Patents that don’t enable anything; that merely construct a legal wall to help keep out invaders. Patents as defensive weapons. And freakin’ expensive ones, too. That $12.5 billion is enough money to buy–outright purchase–Xilinx, MIPS Technologies, and Micron–combined. You could buy US Steel four times over with that money.

That’s $12.5 billion that won’t build any factories; won’t hire any employees; won’t purchase any components; won’t fund any R&D; won’t be spent developing new products. It’s more evidence — as if any was needed — that patents have become strategic-defense weaponry, fueling a hyper-expensive arms race among super-wealthy corporations. It’s a far cry from “protecting the lone inventor” that we used to hear.

Google, Microsoft, Apple, and a handful of other companies are spending their way to a technical monopoly. They use their astonishing wealth to lock up inventions and erect expensive legal walls. This has nothng to do with innovation, discovery, or progress. Rest in peace, Mr. Jefferson.

Leave a Reply

featured blogs
Mar 24, 2023
With CadenceCONNECT CFD less than a month away, now is the time to make your travel plans to join us at the Santa Clara Convention Center on 19 April for our biggest CFD event of the year. As a bonus, CadenceCONNECT CFD is co-located with the first day of CadenceLIVE Silicon ...
Mar 23, 2023
Explore AI chip architecture and learn how AI's requirements and applications shape AI optimized hardware design across processors, memory chips, and more. The post Why AI Requires a New Chip Architecture appeared first on New Horizons for Chip Design....
Mar 10, 2023
A proven guide to enable project managers to successfully take over ongoing projects and get the work done!...

featured video

First CXL 2.0 IP Interoperability Demo with Compliance Tests

Sponsored by Synopsys

In this video, Sr. R&D Engineer Rehan Iqbal, will guide you through Synopsys CXL IP passing compliance tests and demonstrating our seamless interoperability with Teladyne LeCroy Z516 Exerciser. This first-of-its-kind interoperability demo is a testament to Synopsys' commitment to delivering reliable IP solutions.

Learn more about Synopsys CXL here

featured chalk talk

In-Cabin Monitoring Systems (ICMS) Using Automotive Short Range Radar
Sponsored by Infineon
Worldwide regulation and legislation is driving a demand for automotive in-cabin monitoring systems. In this episode of Chalk Talk, Michael Thomas and Amelia Dalton investigate how short range radar can be utilized for a variety of in-cabin monitoring systems. They also examine the implementation of these different systems and how Infineon’s low-cost and low power radar solutions could make our vehicles safer than ever before.
Nov 1, 2022
18,586 views