Modu, which made world’s smallest phones, has filed for bankruptcy. Google has now shown interest in these companies’ concepts and has bid to buy patents that Modu holds.
According to a report published in Cellular-news.com, Google has made a bid of USD $2 million to buy up the patent portfolio held by the failed Israeli phone manufacturer, Modu.
Google submitted the offer to the Tel Aviv District Court, which is handling Modu’s liquidation. Google’s bid is higher than Kensington Technology Corporation, which filled a bid in late March.
Google has been stepping up its efforts to buy wireless telecoms patents as a defensive move against being sued over the Android smartphone platform, and although a tiny amount compared to the USD $900 million bid for a block of Nortel patents, the portfolio comprises over 100 patents.
Although the concept of Modu and Google’s Android based operating systems are as different as chalk and cheese, the concept seems to have attracted Google as it could be a perfect platform to target lower end of the device market.
The patents are the key assets held by the bankrupt handset manufacturer. It had attempted to develop a modular based phone, which while garnering widespread admiration, was never successfully commercialised.
It was even launched in India through a partnership with Micromax, though we do not have the numbers sold in India, the phone seems to have failed to take off in India.