The war of Java has reinstated between two silicon heavy weights – this time in court room. On late Thursday, Oracle has released press note saying it has filed a law suit against Google claiming egregious IP infringement. This is going to have direct impact on Google’s most appreciated mobile OS – Android which runs on Java & Open Source technology.
In a statement released, an Oracle rep stated, “In developing Android, Google knowingly, directly and repeatedly infringed Oracle’s Java-related intellectual property. This lawsuit seeks appropriate remedies for their infringement.”
The whole issue lays beneath a major acquisition of Sun Microsoft System, by Oracle last year. In its formal complain oracle stated that Sun acquisition was one of the core objectives to have Java platform control. And no one can argue that the platform isn’t ubiquitous and very important in the technology industries.
Claiming that Android competes with Java as “an operating system software platform for cellular telephones and other mobile devices” and that the Android stack employs Java apps running on a Java-based framework, Oracle says that Android and the Android SDK infringe on its patents, and it wants to see some cash for its unwitting involvement in the mobile OS’s success.
Oracle also claims Google has known about these patents since the middle of the decade when the latter company hired several Sun Java engineers. Over and above, Oracle is also claiming copyright infringement; Java’s code is copyrighted, and Oracle believes Google has used it without any kind of license.
Android is an OS which is based on Java platform and also been supported by many developers to make it success. The most important line which oracle inked in their law suit is “induced, caused and materially contributed to the infringing acts of others by encouraging… others to use, copy and distribute” what could be called derivative works.
Many Industry analyst believe that Oracle’s move is no more than an effort to cut edges of Android success which is hitting hard to other mobile app platform specially iPhone. Oracle is keeping a close eye of mobile industry and do not want to lag behind to others till it reveals from its own kitty. Directly or indirectly, with such law suite, Oracle wants to be a major stock holder in mobile industry.
Now, it’s all depending on time, people and arguments between two majors which will uncover the real intention of both.
Do you think Google is guilty or considering the technology open usage policies companies should not be allowed to control technologies? Do let us know your opinion.
Document at MobileBeat
