Will Android Last?

Anthony Parsons

Well-known member
Whilst Android has become the most popular OS on mobiles, will it actually last the distance due to Google infringing upon other companies patents, who are so far winning in courts around the world?

HTC are reportedly thinking about dropping Android, as they have also been dragged into court, and so far, Apple and Oracle have strong cases against Google, and Apple has been winning the majority in courts globally thus far.

As Apple takes nearly every Android phone and tablet hardware manufacturer to court over patent infringement claims and Google responds by gobbling up the one major Android vendor which hasn’t yet been hauled before a judge, another Android vendor says it’s on the verge of calling it quits. The Apple lawsuits against Samsung and HTC have been gradually turning in Apple’s favor, with products like the Galaxy Tab being banned from sale in various nations. HTC, facing a similar fate in the courtroom, says it’s considering bailing on Android altogether, possibly in favor of webOS, last seen in the recently discontinued HP TouchPad and Palm Pre.

http://www.beatweek.com/news/9395-android-shakeup-htc-defectin-amid-motorola-merger-samsung-suits/

So far, Apple is winning. Whilst Samsung has fired back at Apple, taking it to court now for:

"The complaint focuses on three technology patents, and not on the design of the tablets," a Samsung spokeswoman reportedly said. That's different from Apple's own lawsuit in Germany, in which the iPad maker won a permanent banagainst the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Germany last week.

The complaint is said to be related to three Smasung patents covering UMTS, or third-generation high-speed data transfer on cell networks. It targets the iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4, as well as the first- and second-generation iPad models with 3G radios.

http://www.appleinsider.com/article...uit_targets_apples_iphone_ipad_in_france.html

The problem with this... is that Samsung are going to have to take every manufacturer to court that uses such technology within their products, which isn't just Apple, for this case to even stand trial.

Apple is doing the smart thing, and taking everyone using or infringing their patents to court, not just isolating... which is what proves they are protecting their copyrighted works, not just isolating or picking on someone as a defensive measure.

Again... Samsung are already looking at walking from Android because of it.

Then we now have Oracle who have Google in court for also infringing their patent with java within the Android OS, to the sum of $2 billion lawsuit: The case is Oracle America Inc. v. Google Inc., 10-03561, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California (San Francisco)

My two cents....

Google have to either come up with something completely unique, or they're going to endup paying the cost to Apple and Oracle for infringing their patents.

Sure, one can argue that we the consumer suffer, as does technological advance and innovation, however; innovation is not copying and infringing others ideas... that's copying and infringing others ideas. Innovation is coming up with something new, cutting edge, something you own and have developed from the ground up, patented yourself... Apple did it, Oracle did it... if you innovated something, would you just accept others stealing all your hard work for their gain? I know I wouldn't. So lets be honest here before anyone jumps on that band-wagon!

Google could have approached Oracle, Apple and so forth, knowing they own the patents on proprietary innovation, just as Google themselves do on search algorithms and such, and struck a deal with them, which is what its about... being paid for your hard work, investment, R&D time, costs incurred developing innovative tools for consumer use. But no... they didn't do that, but also haven't sold their OS, which is the only thing keeping Google out of court right now from Apple, to my understanding, hence why Apple are going at the distributors, because its not illegal to make something, but it becomes illegal if you distribute it... and I'm sure if Apple find any evidence that Google is making money directly from the crossing hands with Samsung and such, then it would only be time before Apple have them in court as well.

Me personally.... I would be pretty scared being Google, with someone like Apple coming at you. Google are a drop in the sand compared to a company like Apple for worth.

What do you think about all this? Will Android continue to flow? Have Google stepped outside their bounds of free trade and enterprise with Android, infringing other companies patents? If you let one person copy a patent and get away with it, without paying the piper, then does this not open the door to every patent being infringed and the patent system collapsing?
 
I don't know mate.

Do you know what I will do though, I will not use any Apple products if they're pulling this kind of crap. I've always had a general hate for Apple and this would seal the deal for me.
 
Thats talking about HTC abandoning Android on their touchpads, not on their phones. Im presuming that might be similar for Samsung.

Android is a superb system. I cant see how you can say it has copied Apple to be honest. Thats like saying Xenforo has copied Vbulletin because its a forum.
 
Android will live as long as there are customers. Android will live as long as customers use it.
That is an extremely narrow view... customers don't get to choose whether they infringe patents or not. If Android gets closed down, and some 'customer' distributes it... that customer would also be in court the moment they are discovered. I don't know about you, but I'm not that stupid to want someone like Apple, Oracle or Google, taking me to court for infringing upon their products.
 
I cant see how you can say it has copied Apple to be honest.
I'm not saying anything... lawyers are, Apple are, Oracle are, phone manufactures are, judges are.... and judges are ruling in favour of the patent holder, stopping distribution of products for infringement and products for distributing Android, being the OS infringing patents.
 
The problem with this... is that Samsung are going to have to take every manufacturer to court that uses such technology within their products, which isn't just Apple, for this case to even stand trial.

Not realy, they just say the other companies have permission to use those high speed data patents and apple does not.

Then lets see where apple is when it gets stuffed without having any way of delivering modern content to their phones and pads.
 
Thats old news about the touchpads though. Apple originally had a block on all Samsung android pads being released, the HTC appealed and the ban currently only applies in Germany. Apples actually lost the same case in the Netherlands.

Looks like Apple submitted dodgy evidence anyway according to this article.

Im an Android user and am not worried in the slightest. Apple seem to sue just for the sake of it. Apple reminds me very much of a certain internet brand ;)
 
Android will last longer than Apple....
I agree with that.

I find it amazing how many people I know that are shifting from Apple devices to Android based devices - Especially with quality phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S2 and the HTC Sensation on the market.

Maybe thats a reason why Apple is getting a bit trigger happy with all the lawsuits.
 
I agree with that.

I find it amazing how many people I know that are shifting from Apple devices to Android based devices - Especially with quality phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S2 and the HTC Sensation on the market.

Maybe thats a reason why Apple is getting a bit trigger happy with all the lawsuits.

Nearly every person who I know who has an iPhone that I have given them my S2 to try out says they prefer the S2 by miles.
 
Thats old news about the touchpads though. Apple originally had a block on all Samsung android pads being released, the HTC appealed and the ban currently only applies in Germany.
They won Australia as well, and its still actually pending in the US, Britain, etc, I believe.

Its also new news about Samsung possible dropping Android due to all the issues with lawsuits, which inflicts a major market share to Android.
 
I think it really should be highlighted that the talk about Samsung dropping Android applies ONLY to its tablets and not smartphones.

Plus its only a rumour - but as I have a laptop when out and about and am not a fan of tablets, it dosent really bother me too much.

Cant seem to see any articles about the win in Australia - Care to point me in the right direction? Can only seem to find articles relating to Samsung having to delay the launch of their tablet - not an actual ban.

Edit - This is an interesting article to read from the 21st September - http://www.itproportal.com/2011/09/21/htc-confident-win-against-apple-patent-infringement-lawsuit/
 
The issue with Oracle is convoluted, as prior to the acquisition the CEO of Sun Micro congratulated Google on the Android platform, as well as offered them all their support.

But there are equally as many issues with Androids use of Oracle IP.

As for Apple, many of the die hard fans of Apple I know have started moving away due to preference of the Android platform, as well as getting fedup with their business practices. The lawsuit against Samsung (Not that Samsung is in the right either) has been an utter hoax, and quite honestly they deserve to get their ass handed to them for doctoring evidence.

Microsoft is just being Microsoft, they were better off when stayed out of this crap as all they're doing now is ruining the good name they had garnered the last few years.
 
The patent system is inconsistent, broken and unfit for purpose. These lawsuits just get more ridiculous by the day.

Not all of that is Apple's fault and I don't blame them for patenting what is essentially the context menu, but it is their choice to use patents in a defensive way or to act aggressively against their competitors.

For profit company, or not, and yes it is their right to act in that way, it's a very short sighted decision that hurts profitability and innovative power of the entire industry. It's also short sighted because being seen as a villian that deems it appropriate and necessary to act in ways that are seen unfair and anticompetitive by almost everyone else can be the downfall of the mightiest companies as IBM and Microsoft can attest to.

These lawsuits aren't about weeding out the copycats, it's pure abuse of the patent system (even though it's setup in this way) to push competitors out of the market. However, I don't see Android dying. If anything, this may lead to several cross licensing deals.
 
Cant seem to see any articles about the win in Australia - Care to point me in the right direction? Can only seem to find articles relating to Samsung having to delay the launch of their tablet - not an actual ban.

Edit - This is an interesting article to read from the 21st September - http://www.itproportal.com/2011/09/21/htc-confident-win-against-apple-patent-infringement-lawsuit/
This is recent, and mentions some of the issues between the pair in Australia.

I don't think one should read into anything about Samsung being confident with their lawsuit. That is the same as reading into VB or XF being confident... that is for a judge to decide, not the company itself through media speculation.

Ask Apple... they will tell you their confident of winning. Same response from Samsung. The end result will simply be based on whether patent infringement has occurred or not.
 
Nearly every person who I know who has an iPhone that I have given them my S2 to try out says they prefer the S2 by miles.

Isn't that like comparing Apples to Oranges? Wouldn't a more fair comparison be the Samsung Galaxy S2 with the latest version of Android and the alleged upcoming release of the new iPhone and iOS 5?
 
I thought the main complaint against Samsung was the Samsung unit looked almost exactly like an iPad/iPod?

What gets me is when patents are granted for the design of software - software appearance should be exempt from patents as I'm pretty sure it is in the UK. Sure, algorithms are (I'm pretty sure) patentable, but design no. Design is protected via Copyright laws anyway.
 
This is recent, and mentions some of the issues between the pair in Australia.

I don't think one should read into anything about Samsung being confident with their lawsuit. That is the same as reading into VB or XF being confident... that is for a judge to decide, not the company itself through media speculation.

Ask Apple... they will tell you their confident of winning. Same response from Samsung. The end result will simply be based on whether patent infringement has occurred or not.

The launch of the Samsung tablet was delayed in Australia, but it hasnt been banned.

Its HTC that is confident, which the article states will then help Samsung. Also reading online appears Samsung is going to go for an injunction against the release of the iPhone 5 because of patent infringements.

Its just one huge mess. Both companies and products will survive - However Apple is getting quite a bad name for itself in the process.
 
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