IP PRIVATEERING IN THE MARKETS FOR DESKTOP AND MOBILE OPERATING SYSTEMS.

Utilizing a privateering competitive strategy, firms sponsor the assertion of intellectual property ("IP") claims by third parties (patent assertion entities and others), with the ultimate objective of raising of rival competitors' costs. This Article tells the privateering story with respect to both desktop and mobile operating systems competition. It begins with Microsoft's funding of litigation against Linux--a threat to Microsoft's desktop operating system monopoly--and continues to an analysis of recent competition in the smartphone space. The Article raises potential competitive concerns and related antitrust and IP enforcement issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]