Well now, what do we have here. In August Google’s subsidiary Motorola Mobility filed a complaint with the International Trade Commission alleging Apple’s iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices infringe on seven of Motorola’s patents. This complaint gained particular attention not only because it was, more or less, Google’s first offensive against Cupertino but also because this complaint was in regards to seven non-FRAND patents — patents Motorola did not have to, by law, license to Apple. Google, Motorola rather, has now withdrawn the complaint.

In a filing with the ITC, Motorola says it wants to “to terminate all claims in this investigation without prejudice based on Motorola’s withdrawal of the complaint, with Motorola and Apple each bearing their own costs and attorneys’ fees”. Motorola also wants the ITC to know that “there are no agreements between Motorola and Apple, written or oral, express or implied, concerning the subject matter of this investigation” and that Apple does not oppose the complaint being withdrawn. The key thing to note here is Motorola is asking for the termination of the complaint “without prejudice” meaning it wants the ITC to be open-minded if Motorola brings the complain again, and that Motorola and Apple still have no settlement on the matter.

Interesting. I wonder what Google/Motorola is playing at here. Could this be the first fruit of the Page-Cook labor we heard about last month?

[via Engadget, FOSS Patents]