Monday, April 23, 2012

Microsoft Sells Patents To Facebook For $550M

Redmond-based Microsoft has wasted no time in re-selling a big chunk of the patents it acquired from AOL earlier this month, saying today that it has sold approximately 650 AOL patents and patent applications to Facebook this morning. The deal is worth $550M, and will give Microsoft ownership of approximately 275 AOL patents and applications. Microsoft had acquired those patents in a big, $1.056 billion deal on April 9th. Microsoft said the deal will enable it to recoup over half of the costs of the original patents, while "achieving (its) goals" from the AOL auction. Microsoft will gain license to those approximately 650 AOL patents and applications that it is selling to Facebook.