Microsoft And Motorola Open To Windows Phone 7 Pact Despite Patent Dispute

A few days ago, the prospect of Microsoft and Motorola burying the hatchet would have seemed unlikely. But now both sides are saying they’re amendable to resolving a patent dispute and making a deal that will put Windows Phone 7 on Motorola hardware.

Last Friday, Microsoft filed patent infringement claims against Motorola and its popular line of Droid smartphones in both U.S. federal court and the International Trade Commission.

The software giant alleged that Motorola’s Droid phones infringed on nine different Microsoft patents related to features such as synchronizing e-mail, calendars and contacts, and notifications of changes in signal strength and battery power.

It appeared as if Motorola, which has thrown its support behind Google’s Android mobile operating system, and Microsoft, which is hoping to jumpstart its fledging mobile business with Windows Phone 7, were headed for a major showdown. But the two companies have both stated they are open to working together in the smartphone market.

Appearing at press conference Wednesday for a BitKOM conference in Germany, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer was asked about future collaboration with Motorola. According to the Dow Jones news service, Ballmer said, ’We are always excited to collaborate with anybody who wants to collaborate with us.’

Next: Motorola Co-CEO Warms To Windows Phone 7

Meanwhile, Motorola co-CEO Sanjay Jha told The Wall Street Journalon Tuesday that his company was willing to explore using Windows Phone 7 on Motorola smartphones if the product has merit. ’I am open to finding ways to work with Microsoft,’ Jha said, ’But it has to be a compelling offering.’

Jha, who is also chief executive of Motorola’s Mobile Devices division, added that while his company’s engineers have not tested Windows Phone 7, he has heard the forthcoming mobile OS is ’a rational offering,’ according to The Wall Street Journal. He also said Motorola put so much of its support behind Android last year because it had to release new smartphone models and couldn’t wait for the oft-delayed Windows Phone 7.

Microsoft plans to launch Windows Phone 7 on Monday at a major launch event in New York, and several smartphone makers prepping handsets for the new OS such as LG, Samsung, and T-Mobile are expected to attend.

But Motorola has emerged as one of the strongest smartphone makers around, thanks to its popular Android phones, and Microsoft surely wants to have Motorola in its corner not only to boost Windows Phone 7 sales but also take a chunk of business away from chief rival Google.

If Motorola and Microsoft can come to an accord over Windows Phone 7 and get the new platform on Motorola phones, it’s likely Microsoft’s patent lawsuit will be settled quietly and amicably or dropped entirely.