It would protect them from litigation from most other patent holders making telecommunications gear because it contains key patents on 4G LTE.

“The ten patents in suit relate to technologies fundamental to making
devices which are compatible with one or more of the GSM, UMTS (3G
WCDMA) and wireless LAN standards. The patents cover wireless data,
speech coding, security and encryption and are infringed by all Apple
iPhone models shipped since the iPhone was introduced in 2007.”

While some of those may well be hardware patents, some will cover software methods too (particularly those connected with encryption).

Basically, if you make a phone, you’re probably using Nokia patented tech. However, I believe HTC, Samsung and Motorola already license at least the GSM patents from Nokia, and so any phones they make – including, probably, Android ones – will be covered.

‘This is also very significant with a view to Android. Given that Android is in many ways a rip-off of Apple’s operating software, Android-based devices are highly likely to infringe on largely the same Nokia patents that Apple now felt forced to pay for.’

This wasn’t the war to end all wars, there will be lawsuits like there always has been, even with Android makers. Actually, hell yea, there will be those against Android vendors, but it isn’t because they make Androids. It’s because after this one being settled with Apple, most other companies in this field make Androids.

When you say that this could launch _more_ litigation against Android makers, I don’t see that happening.
Main reason being that with Nokia vs. Apple the situation was one that isn’t that usual in mobile business. Generally licensing works, but here there seemed to be some kind of bigger hitch.

Apple being new player didn’t have existing deals patent swapping deals with Nokia and they didn’t want to license the stuff that made them special. Because of existing deals and industry customs, all patents usually are licensed. This is main reason _why_ Nokia _wanted_ to sue them.
Apple also didn’t want to pay according the same model that others did, because it was a little pricier than the one they wanted to use. By doing this they allowed a weak spot in their defense, a calculated risk, that allowed Nokia to sue them. If there isn’t patent swapping, you usually pay something per device you make. This in main reason _why_ Nokia _could_ sue them a big time.

These problems don’t really come up with that many other companies. This means that there will be litigation, even big cases, but it won’t be as much of a grand battle and spectator sport. It will be business as usual, like it already has been, not a new way to make income.

To make this comment even longer ( sorry about that) I’ll try to explain what I see to be the the two reasons that Nokia won’t be going on Android related suing spree.

The other companies either
1. already are swapping licences in a fair way with Nokia or licensing their own patents to Nokia for money and Nokia licences to them, again for money. All in a fair way as it is customary in the business. This goes for the more seasoned players with patents. Companies such as Moto, Samsung, LG,…
2. The new players don’t as much invest in R&D. Therefor they don’t have anything that could use as a hostage against Nokia. Apple didn’t have many patents and the existing ones were possibly weak ones, but these were ones that Nokia wanted. This made it possible to put up a big fight before the two reached fair terms. The other new players too have to license stuff from Nokia but are more likely to accept the normal industry terms since they can’t pick up a big fight without interesting patents. When they have reached the first agreement it’s of course still possible, but much less likely, that they would start a fight this big.

One point still. Bobbie, you said ”this situation encapsulates Nokia’s ongoing problems more succinctly than almost anything else: as the company that comes up with technology that everybody else manages to exploit better than it can.”
Yes, I wholeheartedly agree, but be careful not to over interpret this event. I think this patent war would have happened even if Nokia had been doing better than ever. At the moment Apple isn’t that afraid on Nokia anymore, so now they can easily settle and patent their stuff to Nokia. If they had went all the way in court the result would have been the similar, solid patents are worth paying for. Just because Nokia has problem using their own patents, they still have right to get paid for results of their R&D.

TL;DR
Nokia going against Android, not likely.
New lawsuits however are and have always been business a usual, so there will still be some of those. Also ones against companies that happen to make Android.

Disclaimer: And now to make this whole comment less likely to hurt your ego, I’ll admit that I probably know “nothin’ ’bout nothin’”. I’m not a patent lawyer for either one of the companies, just one of those who have gathered their knowledge about this case form sites like this. You can blame me for being a misinformed ass and I can blame it for all the techblogs in world. yay.