I agree in the case of Cook he's just a control freak, and, face it, an a---ole. Ditto with Nokia. Nok just couldn't stomach having to pay Q to play, after owning the mkt from their glory gsm days.
But what explains the other players? I do have some ideas. But they are speculative. I asked some of my high-level, knowledgeable contacts in the industry about this. They all mentioned Q's strong-arm business practices. But they were non-specific.
Imo the issues started way back. And they are cumulative in effect. Even when some of the factors are no longer relevant (ordered done away by regulatory agencies) the memory of the sum total of Q's practices continue to leave a bitter taste for the rest of the industry. They have not forgotten.
Examples (note to engineer and other oldtimers here, feel free to confirm or refute my wobbly memory):
a) Licensees were compelled to cross license their IP (I assume only non-SEP) portfolio to Q. Q tried to be the IP aggregator for the industry. That must have ticked every licensee off. I know that would have ticked me off big time. This was deemed illegal (was it by the EU?) But I would remember being bullied for a very long time.
b) Licenses were all-you-can-eat. All of Q's patents (a wall-full!) were included, whether you want them or not, and whether the patents were valid or not. I know Q saw that as more straightforward, more efficient, maybe even generous. Again, if I were a licensee, I would have seen this as an arrogant slight. And I would want an SEP only license just so I know what I am paying for. That was deemed unacceptable (by China's NDRC, I think). But another example of a Q practice which Q might have justified as efficient, but was very likely seen by the industry as bullying.
c) Ditto 3-4-5G bundled licenses. This was also ruled against by the NDRC.
d) There's also the matter of Q's early partners who backed Q in its crucial early days. I am thinking S. Koreans and Moto in particular. They likely felt they deserved special treatment, but did not get it. Thus resentment from those corners.
e) Schadenfreude at Q's various failed or disappointing boasts: Centriq, WoA... and hoping AI Inference will meet same fate.
Just my personal speculations. |
