AppleInsider | #Apple predicted to 'strike back' at #Google with its own #patent purchase

Following Google's bid to purchase Motorola Mobility, Apple is predicted to strike a deal -- perhaps with competitors Nokia or RIM -- to consolidate its already significant patent portfolio and better position itself both offensively and defensively.

In a note to investors on Tuesday, Jeffries & Co. analyst Peter Misek concluded that Apple is likely to 'strike back' by acquiring patents from rivals such as Nokia or Research in Motion as a response to Google’s purchase of Motorola Mobility. He also mentioned InterDigital, which has been widely viewed as a potential target for acquisition by Apple and other major players in the smartphone industry.

Misek identified what he considers 500 'essential 3G and 4G patents' that are part of Motorola’s significant patent portfolio. Based on the price Google paid for Motorola, he values each of these at $20 million, given the fact that they could be used by Google not only to defend Android against potential attacks from Apple, but also to counterattack the Cupertino-based company and other rivals in the future.

Apple, Qualcomm, others eye InterDigital | Reuters

#Apple Inc, #Nokia and #Qualcomm Inc are among several technology companies pondering bids for InterDigital Inc, sources familiar with the situation said.

The auction of the wireless telecommunications specialist -- expected to be heavily contested as giant tech companies fight to shore up patent portfolios -- will be postponed from next week until after Labor Day, the sources said.

Shares in InterDigital, which has a market value of about $3 billion, leaped as much as 12.2 percent on the news. But it quickly backtracked and was up $4.38 or 6.8 percent at $68.41 in afternoon trade.

Report: Sale of #InterDigital 's #patent portfolio delayed

The sale of InterDigital's patent portfolio has been pushed back until early September in order to give potential buyers a better chance to evaluate it, according to a new report.

Reuters says the sale of InterDigital's portfolio, which stretches some 8,800 granted patents and nearly 10,000 patent applications, is being delayed until after Labor Day. The sale was originally slated for next week, sources told the outlet, but potential buyers want to vet the portfolio in light of recent landmark intellectual property purchases.

#InterDigital Inc., filed infringement claims with a U.S. trade panel last month to boost the price of its intellectual property portfolio

InterDigital Inc., owner of about 1,300 U.S. #mobile -phone #patents, filed infringement claims with a U.S. trade panel last month to boost the price of its intellectual property portfolio, Huawei Technologies Co. said. 

The King of Prussia, Pennsylvania-based company "may be using the commission's investigation process purely for the purpose of inflating its value as it prepares to sell its IP assets," Huawei said in an Aug. 5 letter to the U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington.

InterDigital said July 19 it was considering a sale of its patent portfolio. The company filed a complaint with the ITC on July 26 that accused Huawei, Nokia Oyj and ZTE Corp. of infringing seven patents related to so-called third-generation wireless technology.

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Samsung eyes InterDigital patent portfolio for mobile technology | ZDNet

Samsung eyes InterDigital patent portfolio for mobile technology | ZDNet:

Samsung is reportedly interested in acquiring InterDigital Inc.’s patent portfolio, which retains a catalog of patents related to mobile technologies used to transfer information.

However, Samsung isn’t the only one interested in making this deal. Both Apple and Google are potential bidders as well.

Lee Seung Woo, a Seoul-based analyst at Shinyoung Securities Co., told Bloomberg about just how serious this acquisition could be.

InterDigital has a lot of key patents. The fight between Apple and Samsung is getting serious, so if the assets go to Apple, it could be pretty risky for Samsung. To hedge the risk, Samsung could go ahead with bidding, although they may have to pay a big premium.