Microsoft said this week it sold more than 2 million units of its new Windows Phone 7 software to handset makers last quarter, as it looks to counter Apple’s iPhone and the rise of Google’s Android system.

The world’s largest software maker, which launched its new phone software in October, licenses the technology to handset makers such as Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics and HTC.

Apple said last week 16.2 million iPhones were sold in the last quarter.

Microsoft is set to report quarterly earnings later this week.

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Motorola, just days after being targeted in a patent suit by Microsoft, has filed complaints against Apple alleging that the iPhone, iPad and other products infringe its patents.

The Motorola complaints allege that Apple’s iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and certain Macintosh computers infringe 18 patents “which relate to early-stage innovations developed by Motorola in key technology areas”. Read more »

Microsoft filed suit against Motorola last week, accusing the US handset maker of violating its patents in smart phones powered by Google’s Android mobile operating system.

Microsoft deputy general counsel Horacio Gutierrez said Motorola’s Android-based smart phones infringed nine Microsoft patents.

The patents in question relate to synchronising email, calendars and contacts, scheduling meetings, and notifying applications of changes in signal strength and battery power, Gutierrez said. Read more »