Microsoft says Motorola's Android phones are patent infringers

Microsoft has filed a patent infringement lawsuit in the Western District of Washington against Motorola, Inc, a statement from Horacio Gutierrez, Microsoft's deputy general of IP and Licensing said today.

The suit accuses Motorola of infringing on nine Microsoft patents with its Android-based smartphones.

"The patents at issue relate to a range of functionality embodied in Motorola's Android smartphone devices that are essential to the smartphone user experience, including synchronizing email, calendars and contacts, scheduling meetings, and notifying applications of changes in signal strength and battery power," Gutierrez said on Friday.

We'll follow up with more as the story develops.