MPEG LA, an organization which grants joint licenses to MPEG-2 patents compensating all patent holders, but requiring a licensee only to pay to MPEG LA, introduced a similiar licensing agreement for MPEG-4 earlier this year, but that proposal was a disaster, causing angry comments from possible licensees, such as Apple.
Now MPEG LA is trying to re-negotiate MPEG-4 licensing terms with its patent holders to get industry's approval for the licensing terms. Obviously, if no one licenses the technology because of the licensing terms, the patent holders are pretty much left with nothing. Negotiations are scheduled to end of April.
