Ina Fried

Recent Posts by Ina Fried

Google Settles Its Touchy Legal Issues With Immersion

Touch-feedback firm Immersion said Tuesday that it has reached a settlement with Google’s Motorola unit over the use of haptic technology in phones.

Immersion said it will get compensation for past shipments of Motorola devices with touch feedback, and that Google has a license going forward for what Immersion dubs its Basic Haptics technology. Immersion said the deal does not extend to other hardware makers that use Android.

“The successful resolution of this case is a critical step in our overall strategy of enforcing and monetizing our intellectual property, including Basic Haptics, and we’re pleased to achieve a settlement that is consistent with our business model, which is largely based on per unit running royalties,” Immersion CEO Victor Viegas said in a statement. “We remain fully committed to enforcing our IP rights while continuing to innovate and create new technology and solutions for the mobile space. While the terms of the settlement will remain confidential and are not anticipated to have a material impact on our financial results for 2012, this settlement is a great step forward in validating the value of our IP portfolio and the investments we have made in the mobile market.”

Immersion and a variety of smaller start-ups have been pitching Android makers on using a sense of feel to help stand out in a crowded market. Immersion has been showing off such technology for years, including at our D7 conference in 2009. Here’s a video from Mobile World Congress on some of the current state-of-the-art uses:

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