I'm not disputing, as I know nothing about this, but isn't the Apple V Samsung thing very similar to Microsoft V Android? Big companies throwing their weight around? Or is Microsoft hitting small guys?
Microsoft is hitting up a lot of Android vendors for licensing fees. They're not even trying to protect any particular intellectual property. They're just shaking down people for money.
It's Intellectual Ventures that was co-founded by two former senior Microsoft employees that's the worst offender by far.
Those companies that invested in IV probably did it for strategic reasons since barring that they'd probably end up targets.
