Google claims that Android rivals are using ‘bogus patents’ to attack the mobile OS, but Microsoft offers up evidence to suggest that Google dealt itself out of patent discussions.
Photo by Joi Ito
Summary: With engineers back at the helm’s top positions, Google steps further away from software patents and joins Red Hat’s opposition to them
BACK when Google started defending Android from SCOracle, it did throw some hints that it would oppose software patents. Groklaw covered it thoroughly at the time.
Software patent wars have always existed: companies fought them (or paid up), sometimes quietly, sometimes making a big fuss. However, something has changed over the last year or so: people started getting directly affected by software patents (ask anybody wanting a Samsung Galaxy Tab in Australia for Christmas 2011...).
A war of words continues between executives at tech giants Google and Microsoft as accusations regarding patent bullying fly between the companies.
Google's Android operating system could face new legal attacks from Microsoft and Apple, now that their & Rockstar Bidco LP& consortium has won court permission to purchase Nortel Networks' patent portfolio.
Google’s stance on patents has always been relaxed, as opposed to Apple’s much documented “war” style when it comes to defending their patents.
Patents, patents, patents. Such a to-do about software patents! The news this week has focused on little else, thanks in large part, of course, to Google's much-discussed
purchase of Motorola Mobility. It's fairly widely agreed that patents were the motivating factor behind that purchase -- not at all surprising, given the virtual lawsuit-fest the mobile world has become.
A consortium of Apple, EMC, Ericsson, Microsoft, Research In Motion and Sony has beaten Google to pay $US4.5 billion for more than 6,000 Nortel patents and patent applications spanning wireless, wireless 4G, data networking, optical, voice, internet, service provider, semiconductors and other patents.
A judge in a U.S court has dismissed a case brought by Apple against Google-owned Motorola Mobility. Apple had complained Motorola was seeking excessive royalties for standards-essential patents. It’s another small blow for Apple in its legal war against Android.
Email this page
