高通淡看苹果三星专利之争

    就在移动行业很多公司仍在试图弄清苹果（Apple）-三星（Samsung）世纪宣判的影响时，至少有一家行业巨头——高通（Qualcomm）信心满满，相信判决结果不会波及它的业务。这家总部位于圣迭戈的公司制作的芯片在数百款不同型号的智能手机中都能看到，只要这个行业整体继续增长，高通就将继续增长。当然，这家移动芯片制造商自身对于专利侵权诉讼并不陌生（这或许就是为什么它很高兴在一旁静观苹果-三星争端的发展）。2008年高通了结了与诺基亚（Nokia）之间持续多年的诉讼拉锯战，如今两家公司已经建立了紧密的合作关系——事实上高通为所有的微软（Microsoft）Windows Phone智能手机提供芯片，包括诺基亚Lumia系列手机。很多的谷歌（Google）安卓（Android）智能手机和一些苹果产品上也能找到高通芯片。日前我们采访到了高通首席执行官保罗•雅各布，听听他是怎么看待苹果-三星里程碑式的判决、即将发布的Windows 8手机，以及他打算怎么做，来激起消费者对于他们智能手机中芯片的期盼。

    《财富》杂志（FORTUNE）：苹果-三星的判决对于即将推出的Windows 8手机有何影响，对高通有何影响？

    雅各布：我不想太多地涉入法律问题，但过去我们也经历过一些这样的事情。2005年我接手高通时，我们一下子遭到很多人起诉，包括现在已经成为我们合作伙伴的诺基亚。现实状况是初审判决后，往往会有漫长的上诉。但从我们的观点来看，这看上去不会对芯片业务有多少影响。这项判决基本上都是关于较老款的手机，不是较新的产品。当然，我们会帮助我们的合作伙伴渡过难关，我们肯定不想看到这个行业变得这么热衷诉讼，希望能继续走下去。至于它对Windows 8的影响，我真的很难评判。

    能讲讲现在高通与诺基亚的关系吗？你们相处得融洽吗？

    雅各布：2008年我们与诺基亚签署了一项协议，因此这都过去了。现在，我们与诺基亚在产品设计方面的合作相当紧密。我们帮助他们推出新的手机。起初这是一项全新的合作关系，斯蒂芬•埃洛普（诺基亚首席执行官）上任后决定全力推动Windows Phone系列手机，这一合作大大加速。诺基亚在圣迭戈也设有机构，我们同他们在圣迭戈和芬兰的人员都合作得相当紧密。这是非常好的合作关系，而且相当友好。我们为所有的Lumia系列手机提供芯片——所有的Windows手机都采用高通芯片。这是因为微软设计Windows Phone时就进行了参考硬件设计，并表示将依托于此硬件进行优化。

    英特尔（Intel）呢？他们在移动领域有多款发布——你怎么看待他们的努力？

    雅各布：迄今为止他们所做的还只是试水。他们与几家公司合作，并为一些设计提供资金。他们将这些设计推入市场，但卖得不是很好。他们将继续推出下一个，再下一个芯片。他们如今讨论的最大优势是他们拥有制造优势。英特尔发布的声明似乎认为这个行业将止步不前，未来他们将取得领先，但事情不会这样发展。ARM （高通采用的竞争性移动芯片架构）更高效。可以说我们在晶体管上一直存在不足，但就整个系统而言拥有能耗优势。因此，我认为这种竞争将继续下去。

    很多其他的竞争对手也获得了ARM授权，你们如何实现差异化，同时与制造商合作帮助、它们实现差异化？

    雅各布：我们有ARM的指令集授权，但自行设计微处理器。因此，我们比其他公司都领先一步。我们领先于ARM所做的事情，因为我们非常专注于移动领域。

    While much of the mobile industry is still reeling from last week's Apple-Samsung verdict, at least one wireless giant—Qualcomm—is confident the outcome won't hurt its business. The San Diego-based company's chips are found in hundreds of different smartphone models, and as long as the industry as a whole continues to grow, Qualcomm (QCOM) will keep growing too. Of course, the wireless chipmaker is no stranger to its own patent infringement lawsuits (which is probably why it's happy to watch this one unfold from the sidelines). Qualcomm resolved its long-standing legal battle with Nokia (NOK) back in 2008, and now the two companies have a tight partnership -- in fact, Qualcomm powers all Microsoft (MSFT) Windows Phone smartphones, including Nokia's Lumia line of devices. Its chips are also found in many Google (GOOG) Android smartphones and some Apple (AAPL) products. We caught up with Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs to get his take on last week's monumental verdict, upcoming Windows 8 devices and how he plans to get consumers psyched about the chips inside their smartphone.

    FORTUNE: What implications does the Apple-Samsung verdict have for upcoming Windows 8 phones, and for you?

    Jacobs: I don't want to get too much into the legal issues, but we've been through a few of these things in the past. When I took over in 2005 we got sued by a whole bunch of people all at once, including Nokia, who are now friends of ours. What happens is there's a big appeals process that always plays out so first that has to happen. But from our point of view it doesn't look like there's much impact on the chip business. This is mostly about older phones, not newer products. Of course we help our partners out, and we definitely want to see the industry not be so litigious and move forward. In terms of its impact on Windows 8, that's really hard for me to tell.

    Describe the relationship you have today with Nokia. You get along now?

    Jacobs: We signed a deal with them in 2008 so that's in the past. We work really closely with them on the product design side. We help them bring new phones out. In the beginning it was a brand new relationship but it really accelerated after Stephen [Elop, CEO of Nokia] came in and decided to go full force on Windows Phone. They have a facility in San Diego and we work with those guys and people in Finland really closely. It's a very good relationship and very friendly. We are on all the Lumia phones -- all of the Windows phones are Qualcomm-based. That's because when Microsoft did Windows Phone they made a reference hardware design and said that this is the hardware it will be optimized for.

    What about Intel? They've made a few announcements in the mobile space -- what do you think of their efforts?

    Jacobs: What they've done so far is really just dipped their toes in the water. They worked with a few companies and funded some designs. They brought them out to the market and they really didn't sell very well. They'll keep bringing out the next chip and the next chip. The big thing they're talking about now is having a manufacturing advantage. When Intel's making these statements they're looking at it like the industry will stay in the same space and they'll get the lead, but that's not the way it will play out. ARM [a competing mobile chip architecture, used by Qualcomm] is more efficient. We've always had a transistor disadvantage so to speak but the whole system together has a power advantage. So I think that will continue.

    Given that there are so many other competitors that license from ARM how do you differentiate and work with your manufacturers to help them differentiate?

    Jacobs: We license the instruction set from ARM but we actually design the microprocessor ourselves. What that allows us to do is get a jump on the other companies. We're ahead on what ARM's doing because we're so focused on mobile.