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RealNetworks Sells Next-Gen Video Codec And Select Patents To Intel

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News Posted: Thu, Jan 26 2012 11:50 PM
Remember Real Player? Evidently that's still around, and Intel -- of all companies -- is interested. RealNetworks just announced that it has signed an agreement to sell a significant number of its patents and its next generation video codec software to Intel Corporation for a purchase price of $120 million. Under terms of the sale, RealNetworks retains certain rights to continue to use the patents in current and future products. With patents storming the tech news front these days, it's no surprise to see this company re-emerging with patents at the forefront.

"Selling these patents to Intel unlocks some of the substantial and unrealized value of RealNetworks assets," said Thomas Nielsen, RealNetworks President and CEO. "It represents an extraordinary opportunity for us to generate additional capital to boost investments in new businesses and markets while still protecting our existing business. In addition to the sale of the patents and next-generation video codec software, RealNetworks and Intel signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on future support and development of the next-generation video codec software and related products.


"We look forward to working with Intel to support the development of the next-generation video codec software and to expanding our relationship into new products and markets," said Nielsen.

RealNetworks does not anticipate that the sale of the approximately 190 patents and 170 patent applications and next generation video codec software will have any material impact on its businesses. RealNetworks businesses include a wide variety of SaaS products and services provided to global carriers, RealPlayer, the Helix streaming media platform, GameHouse online and social games, SuperPass and other media products and services sold both directly to consumers and through partners.

If Intel's willing to drop this much money here, one has to wonder how it'll impact their upcoming products and services...
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cowboyspace replied on Fri, Jan 27 2012 2:02 AM

intel always want to have the best things that are released in its hands...intel wants t get in every concept cpu ,smartphones, cpu ,ssd etc.they are pretty annoying ugh.

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DangerRenegade replied on Fri, Jan 27 2012 10:00 AM

Not sure why Intel needs software patents. Intel should stick with hardware, because that's what they do best.

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cowboyspace replied on Fri, Jan 27 2012 10:48 AM

When Intel buys something its for sure that they know how good the product is or could be. Intel will strive to develop new and improved products in today's competitive Marketplace which is their job as innovators :)

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LLeCompte replied on Fri, Jan 27 2012 3:43 PM

This is a bit strange. They must have something they are working on, that are they are just stock piling stuff.

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AKwyn replied on Fri, Jan 27 2012 4:30 PM

I shudder at the idea of a RealNetworks codec; I mean what can they do better that stuff like a MPEG-4 encoded MKV or even a high-resolution AVI file can do? Well maybe better compression with better details but I'm still a bit weary of RealNetworks after what they did in 2004 and beyond.

 

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DangerRenegade replied on Fri, Jan 27 2012 5:40 PM

I pretty much view them as spyware; plain and simple.

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realneil replied on Fri, Jan 27 2012 6:47 PM

DangerRenegade:
I pretty much view them as spyware; plain and simple.

Ha-Ha! You got that right!  RealNetworks is Spyware.  I've been gleefully deleting their crapolla software from people's PC's for years.

But, I don't see any implementation of RealNetwork's patents ~by Intel~ as being so. I guess we can start calling them Intel's patents now. It's obvious to me that Intel has just bought into a great idea for churning out flawless media on low powered PC's in order to compete with AMD's APU-Fusion platform. Certainly if someone has come up with a great idea, Intel can afford to buy it, rather than develop it themselves. They're the Shark in the Pond and have that gigantic war chest of cold, hard, cash to work with.

I do trust Intel to leave the spyware out of their products,.....so far.

 

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xmd5 replied on Fri, Jan 27 2012 7:40 PM

Real Player was one of the most aggravating pieces of software I've ever used. It was more like a virus than a useful program.

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cowboyspace replied on Sat, Jan 28 2012 2:41 AM

intel just don't know what to do to make AMD disappear.

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