BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom-British mobile phone maker Sendo filed a lawsuit against Microsoft Corp., marking another chapter in the companies’ tumultuous relationship.
Details on the lawsuit are unclear. Sendo officials declined to comment on the filing, except to say that the allegations are “serious and substantial.” Microsoft was not immediately available for comment.
Just last month Sendo dropped Microsoft’s smart phone platform in favor of rival Nokia Corp.’s Series 60 platform. Sendo said at the time that Microsoft denied the company access to the software’s source code, while Nokia allowed source code access. Sendo was weeks away from shipping a smart phone using Microsoft’s software.
Some media reports, including a Reuters story, have hinted that Sendo was concerned that its additions to the Microsoft platform were being passed on to other Microsoft licensees. Indeed, European carrier Orange managed to beat Sendo in releasing the first smart phone running on Microsoft’s software. Microsoft licensee HTC manufactures Orange’s SPV smart phone.
