Apparently it is very difficult to make a free and clear video codec. Nothing says promote the advancement of science and the useful arts like having almost every industry player, big or small, scared to promote innovation because of patent holding firms and their lawyers.
Well Google, current owner of the VP8 codec, has just finished their long drawn-out conflict with MPEG LA. Google will be allowed access to all the patents which are essential to VP8 from the licensing firm and sub-license as they please. Everyone benefited from the deal.
And then… Nokia.
According to FOSS Patents, the day after the MPEG LA – Google deal to support VPx, Nokia sued HTC with VP8-based terms as a part of their suit. While this lawsuit is just ironically coincidental, Nokia is not a member of MPEG LA and thus could be the first of many others who have patent claims against Google's video decoder.
And now they know Google is willing to settle. Well I guess this fight is not over yet.