Mp3 Format Under Fire ?

[GhostShip]

A court decision is likely to set a serious rethink of software using the mp3 format on the agenda.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6388273.stm

Microsoft must pay French phone equipment firm Alcatel-Lucent $1.52bn (£777m) after a US court ruled the IT giant had infringed audio patents.
Alcatel had sued Microsoft, saying two patents related to the standards used for converting audio into MP3 files had been breached.

Microsoft said it had already licensed the MP3 technology, paying $16m to a German firm Fraunhofer.
"We are concerned that this decision opens the door for Alcatel-Lucent to pursue action against hundreds of other companies who purchased the rights to use MP3 technology from Fraunhofer, the industry-recognized rightful licensor," said Microsoft lawyer Tom Burt.

I believe in this case its in every one's interest for Microsoft to challenge the validity of the Alcatel decision as otherwise we could see a large quantity of software being removed from the shelves and the mp3 format itself being phase out as some companies who had previously paid Fraunhofer for a licence to use the format, decided they cannot afford to pay twice.

[White Stripes]

heres to hoping this doesnt kill mp3 but if it does lets hope ogg vorbis replaces it rather than AAC or another patent laden DRM filled mess...