A deal rumored to be in the works in recent months, Sony has now confirmed that it’s buying partner Ericsson out of their Sony Ericsson joint venture -- a move that comes just over ten years since the company started operating on October 1st, 2001. The deal means that the phone business will fall under Sony’s direct control, but it also means that Sony will be receiving “ownership of five essential patent families” and cross-licensing deals on a broader scale; considering how hot the patent war is becoming in the Android world, we’re sure that Sony is keen on letting Microsoft and Apple know that they’ve got both guns and ammunition at the ready.
Sony taking full control of Sony Ericsson in €1.05b deal
is a senior editor and founding member of The Verge who covers gadgets, games, and toys. He spent 15 years editing the likes of CNET, Gizmodo, and Engadget.
Sony’s paying Ericsson €1.05 billion ($1.47 billion) in the buyout, which is expected to close in January 2012.
Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.
Most Popular
Most Popular
- You could be taking way better photos on your phone
- With Switch 2, iPhone, and laptop tricks, the Sharge Disk Pro 2 is finally a worthy EDC
- The ban on robot vacuums won’t make them safer, only worse
- This tattoo is permanent, pain-free, and might soon come in the mail
- The US government just banned Roombas
