Intel has signed an agreement with RealNetworks swapping 190 patents and 170 patent applications for $120M. That includes the patents that cover RealNetworks’ core technologies– video compression codecs and streaming. What’s curious about the deal is that Intel itself tends to be a hardware company, developing chips instead of bits. Could this deal mean that Intel just wants to make sure it’s backside is covered if they get threatened over something like their WiDi wireless display technology? Or, are they planning to enter the fray of those in the storied Patent Cold War, with an offensive position rather than a defensive one? According to Intel, the acquisition is due to wanting to bolster their “ability to continue to offer richer experiences and innovative solutions to end users across a wide spectrum of devices.” Uh, okay.
Source: Intel, Via: VentureBeat
