I, for one, say, "Good!"
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| Author | Content |
|---|---|
| JaseP Aug 15, 2011 12:35 PM EDT |
I, for one, say that his is good. Google, while not the savior of all things open source, is a company which runs on open source, and makes products that do too. I bet that Steve Jobs, Larry Ellison and Steve "the anti-chist" Ballmer are doing double facepalms right now (OK, maybe Balmer is throwing a chair, instead). Whle Google might only extend patent protection to Android, it might also need to include the Linux kernel, in some instances. But ultimately, "the enemy of my enemy is my friend." ... at leat as far as software patents are cdoncerned. |
| dinotrac Aug 15, 2011 12:45 PM EDT |
There are some sticky issues here, not the least of which Google is now setting itself up to compete with its own customers, but... this changes the equation radically. And, it wouldn't shock me to see the new mobile division to be made somehow independent of Android development in a way to reassure makers of Android phones. The real wins for Google: 1. A major android phone maker who will not be bullied by Apple or by Microsoft, and 2. 17,000 patents from a company with a solid research reputation. |
| Fettoosh Aug 15, 2011 1:24 PM EDT |
Quoting:this changes the equation radically. @Dino, spot on, you just beat me to it. To me, it looks like Google just did a "Take that Ballmer & Jobs". Quoting:But once Google has a preferred hardware partner that it owns outright, it is hard to see why its former partners – now rivals – would wish to continue with Android. If Google keeps Android fully open and independent , its Android partners don't need to worry about competing in software, but have to compete in hardware. That is exactly the way it is right now. And if they don't like this setup, they always could go with MeeGo, have their own fork, or whatever is available from others. Could this be what Google was waiting for all along to defend its Android? I wonder how long this has been in the making? I think Google made a major move to its advantage. Let the Linux/Android patent war begin. |
| Koriel Aug 16, 2011 12:21 AM EDT |
The way I read this is as a Good Thing(tm) now lets see Microsoft, Apple go after Motorola this just gets better and better.
And with Motorola's mobile patent portfolio I think the empire(google) is about to strike back. Talk about pulling a fast one Google rarely fails to suprise entertainment at its best. |
| BernardSwiss Aug 16, 2011 12:42 AM EDT |
I've sometimes wondered... (IANAL) ... wondered if part of the reason that Google's hasn't gotten involved in the various bogus legal patent/"Intellectual property" suites against various several companies/OEMs manufacturing and marketing Android devices, has been because, as long as these actions were taken only against hardware manufacturers, Google was officially (or perhaps just in realistic practice) a peripheral or 3rd-party to the legal dispute, and therefor not in a position to actually do anything effective (ie. not in a position to become part of the case). Maybe, part of what Google bought was a major position on the actual front line (as a major Android device manufacturer), with, consequently, actual legal standing as a directly involved, aggrieved party far as the court cases go? |
| Scott_Ruecker Aug 16, 2011 1:05 AM EDT |
This is just a first step (albeit a very big one) for Google into hardware. The real score for Google were the patents of course but the acquisition Motorola's entire mobile unit makes a bold statement..can you say Google phone? My bet is that this pressures Microsoft into buying Nokia..which of course will only help empty their coffers and result in another epic fail to buy their way into a market by MS. |
| tmx Aug 16, 2011 3:05 AM EDT |
I can see this as Google consolidating, but I can't see it as Google going out of their way to defend their clients unless it affect them directly. Well atleast this Android phone I bought is Motorola so hopefully they put out updates to fix it since the thing is actually manufacturered by Huawei. |
| JaseP Aug 16, 2011 8:54 AM EDT |
@ BernardSwiss: That's part of it. The other part is that you don't get into gang warfare when all you got is a pocket knife. Yet another component is that "money talks, and bs walks," or,... Google's got dough and they can make things happen with that, absent getting involved in too much litigation. Only thing is that, lately, the fray has gotten too thick to ignore. They needed to act before their partners lost too much confidence and pulled an "about face" on Android projects in the future. The really cool thing is how they distracted with the whole Nortel patent thing while hammering out the Motorola deal. The other cool thing is that their enemies, who avoided a direct confrontation with Google by attacking Motorola, are now in the pit with Google, themselves. And Google's got the cash to hash out a legal fight. I anticipate one of two results :: (1) Either there will be a big cease-fire, with associated cross-patent deals, or (2) There will be WW3, with the gov'ts in the US and Europe having to intervene. |
| Koriel Aug 16, 2011 2:05 PM EDT |
Im hoping for WW3 as I believe that is the only thing that will get the patent system radically changed anything else and all you will see is just pointless peripheral tweaking of it. But as usual it will just be a mutually agreed ceasefire and we will be stuck with the status quo. JMO |
| cr Aug 16, 2011 2:39 PM EDT |
Quoting: The really cool thing is how they distracted with the whole Nortel patent thing while hammering out the Motorola deal. The way their Nortel bids were all iconic numbers did kinda convey that their bidding was Toreador Defense. Now, with the Moto buy and with official scrutiny of the Nortel transaction, IMO they've got standing in both fights while only shelling out for Moto. |
| cr Aug 16, 2011 2:45 PM EDT |
Quoting: Maybe, part of what Google bought was a major position on the actual front line (as a major Android device manufacturer), with, consequently, actual legal standing as a directly involved, aggrieved party far as the court cases go? Do you think they'll use that new standing to seek preemptory declarative judgments on patent validity / relevance? That'd ease tensions among all the Android coopetition. |
| BernardSwiss Aug 16, 2011 3:56 PM EDT |
I have no idea. I have neither the legal nor the business knowledge to even venture an opinion on whether it's even a realistic tactic. But it would be nice (it would make me smile) if they (Google) did that. It would be even nicer if it worked. |
| Fettoosh Aug 16, 2011 4:06 PM EDT |
Quoting:But as usual it will just be a mutually agreed ceasefire and we will be stuck with the status quo. Status quo means MS lost and they won't allow it, not if they can help it. I too want to see a patent war. Reconstruction normally follows destruction. |
| dinotrac Aug 16, 2011 4:23 PM EDT |
@all - Google has really handed MS and Apple a bitter pill. I can't pretend to have a clue what the Google folks are thinking, but imagine you're an OEM selling (or planning to sell) hardware running on Android. Somebody comes knocking at your door seeking royalties. You say -- "OK -- I'll pay whatever Motorola is paying. I'm sure as not paying you a dime if my biggest competitor isn't paying you." And, for legal position: "You want to threaten me, fine. But what is the basis for any lost profits? You say I'm costing you money that you should earn, but I sell Android devices and you don't. If they don't buy from me, they'll buy from Motorrola, not you." |
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