Google on the Offensive After Motorola Mobility Acquisition
Google only just finished acquiring Motorola Mobility, but the company is already on the war-path to a patent suit.
While Apple is going for Samsung's throat in Europe, Google has decided to transfer nine patents acquired from Motorola, Palm and Openwave to HTC, which uses the Android OS on many devices and is currently besieged by an Apple lawsuit of its own. HTC then took the gift and used it to sue Apple in return, on all nine patents.
According to Florian Mueller of the FOSS Patents blog, in this case, Google is probably sticking up for its friends:
Mueller also thinks that this move may end with Apple suing Google directly, which in all reality was likely to be the inevitable conclusion of this patent war.
Austan Goolsbee, Chairman of the Economic Advisors for the white House, made a YouTube video explaining how patent law is screwed up in the United States, which may indicate some sort of change coming soon that will prevent such patent infringement lawsuits from occurring in the first place. See below:
While Apple is going for Samsung's throat in Europe, Google has decided to transfer nine patents acquired from Motorola, Palm and Openwave to HTC, which uses the Android OS on many devices and is currently besieged by an Apple lawsuit of its own. HTC then took the gift and used it to sue Apple in return, on all nine patents.
According to Florian Mueller of the FOSS Patents blog, in this case, Google is probably sticking up for its friends:
"Google knows that HTC is under tremendous legal pressure from Apple and clearly on the losing track. HTC is the first Android device maker sued by apple, so that dispute is at the most advanced stage, and since HTC's own patent portfolio is weak, it has so far lacked the leverage to force Apple into a cross-license agreement. The possibility of HTC being defeated must have scared Google.
"Another motivation for Google is probably to demonstrate some support to third-party Android device makers even though it's clear those won't be able to compete with a Google-owned Motorola Mobility on a playing field if the deal goes through."
Mueller also thinks that this move may end with Apple suing Google directly, which in all reality was likely to be the inevitable conclusion of this patent war.
Austan Goolsbee, Chairman of the Economic Advisors for the white House, made a YouTube video explaining how patent law is screwed up in the United States, which may indicate some sort of change coming soon that will prevent such patent infringement lawsuits from occurring in the first place. See below:
