The patent assault in the mobile space will start to slow.
Beyond the obvious notion that Google now (pending approval) has a quiver of defensive mechanisms, I think there is a bigger issue here: Feelings.
One of the recurring themes from both Microsoft and Apple regarding their attacks on Android has been that both companies have spent decades investing in technology development and patents, while Google has not. Both companies have spent millions (billions?) on R&D to solidify their stronghold in the broad world of technology, while Google has primarily acquired their R&D. Both companies believe that they have earned their positions of mobile dominance, while Google has simply slipped into bed with a highly competitive, (acquired), free solution.
Pay the Piper -- And with a $12.5b acquisition, Google certainly has. The truth is that both Microsoft and Apple (and others, for that matter) had nuclear bombs in their patent portfolios that could have wiped Android off the face of the Earth. They didnt use them. Competition continues to drive the market. Everyone understands that.
Google has truly stepped up to the plate by paying for admission to the gun show. The hope and the assumption is that the feuds between these three companies (in mobility) will relax on the grounds of respect.
Too idyllic? Possibly.
Further reading: