In a court decision earlier this month, Microsoft was ordered to pay $1.52 Million Dollars to Alcatel-Lucent for infringement on their MP3 format technology. The decision will do doubt make companies question whether or not they should continue using MP3 format or look into other open-source music compression alternatives.
“Backers of alternative formats have sought for years to replace MP3, which offers relatively lower quality sound than next-generation technologies — including the nominal successor to MP3 itself, MP3Pro. Apple uses the MPEG industry standard, AAC; Microsoft uses its proprietary Windows Media format; and Sony has developed its own, largely ignored flavor. Open-source, royalty-free options, such as Ogg Vorbis, remain dark horse competitors. But none have displaced MP3, the first and most widely adopted format of all.”
The problem with the MP3 format is that it is the technology developed by not one, but two companies. The industry recognized holder of the patent is Fraunhofer/Thomson, but this latest court decision also recognizes Alcatel-Lucent as second patent holder and therefore a company that must also be compensated for the technologies use. Paying two companies for the rights to use the MP3 format, may sway them towards other formats.
The complete article can be viewed here
0 responses so far ↓
There are no comments yet...Kick things off by filling out the form below.