Reuters reports on comments apparently made by Jim Balsillie to investors on the workaround RIM’s previously disclosed:
Research In Motion is more than just fine with a software upgrade it may deploy in a bid to work around the patents involved in its legal dispute with patent holder NTP, its co-chief executive said Wednesday. “It’s a software upgrade that we’re very, very comfortable with and we’ve done focus groups with,” RIM Co-Chief Executive Jim Balsillie told investors in New York. “We’re just finishing testing.”
The PR war between RIM and NTP has been one of the most interesting aspects of the dispute. So far, my impression is that NTP has been more effective in the PR front. This salvo is no doubt aimed at the settlement discussions that either are underway or will soon resume.
Update: Patent Prospector has another Balsillie quote that was not reported in the original Reuters report I read (no source given):
“Our customers can be calm that there won’t be an interruption of service,” asserted RIM’s Co-Chief Executive Jim Balsillie.
One wonders – if this is true, why is RIM trying to enforce a US$450 million settlement agreement?