Google and Lodsys: Will the Google Tactics Prevail?
August 19, 2011
With the patent wars raging, mobile phone manufacturers using the Android operating system are caught in a vicious game of chicken between rival companies and patent trolls. The article, Google’s Reexamination Request Against Two Lodsys’ Patents Don’t Stand on Their Own, on Mac Daily News, explains how Google’s rescue attempts are shallow and unproductive.
Lodsys, a reported patent troll, has been attacking manufactures of mobile devices operating under the Android OS. Google has been vocal about defending the little guys, but so far their only action has been to request a reexamination of the patents in question by the USPTO.
While they are absolutely right about the patents being bogus, Google’s assertions are not helping anyone, least of all the companies receiving nasty letters from Lodsys. As the article put it,
For app developers, the critical question is still what they should do when they receive a Lodsys letter (and when they get formally sued by Lodsys). They need a basis for deciding what to do next, and Google’s reexamination requests don’t change the calculus of a rationally-acting developer in any meaningful way.
The article goes on to recommend that any company finding themselves with an infamous Lodsys letter should settle with the big hairy troll and cough up the licensing fee because 99% of companies can’t afford to trudge through the courtroom drama.
The article’s advice to Google: Stop being a pansy and do something productive. Enough lip service. Provide blanket coverage to your developers.
Catherine Lamsfuss, August 19, 2011
Sponsored by Pandia.com, publishers of The New Landscape of Enterprise Search
Comments
-
- Subscribe to Beyond Search
Feature archive
News archive
-
