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Skyhook Sues Google Over Business Practices

Sep 16, 2010, 7:11 AM by Eric M. Zeman

Skyhook Wireless filed a lawsuit against Google, alleging that Google interfered with a contract between Motorola and Skyhook that cost Skyhook tens of millions of dollars. Motorola had signed an agreement with Skyhook to use its location technology to help with the GPS services embedded in its Android smartphones. According to Skyhook, Google called Motorola and said that Google would not approve of any Motorola Android phones that shipped with Skyhook's technology. Motorola eventually switched to Google's location technology. Skyhook has accused Google of strong-arming handset makers to use its location technology in Android handsets rather than location technology offered by Google's competitors. Part of the complaint read, "Though Google claims the Android OS is open source … Google is effectively creating a closed system with respect to location positioning." Skyhook also accused Google of interfering with a deal between it and an unnamed handset maker earlier this year. Neither Motorola nor Google have commented on the lawsuit.

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Comments

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This forum is closed.

crammy1

Sep 16, 2010, 8:33 AM

o oh!

there goes being "open" 👀

Menno

They just couldn't release it as a "with google" tag (so it would be like the Fascinate, without google branding)

People need to understand the difference between android being open, and what "with Google" means for android.

...

bluecoyote

Sep 16, 2010, 1:49 PM

I told you Android wasn't open and wasn't good. I was right. Bluecoyote 2, Fandroids 0.

I love this choice excerpt:

"In the interference suit, filed in Massachusetts Superior Court, Skyhook claimed Google costs it tens of millions of dollars by trying to cut in on its contract with Motorola, which makes smartphones that leverage location services.

Motorola, which makes and sells smartphones based on GoogleÃ¢â‚¬™s Android operating system, agreed to use SkyhookÃ¢â‚¬™s XPS location technology in April.

When Google Vice President of Engineering Andy Rubin learned of this, according to the suit, he called Motorola Co-CEO Sanjay Jha to impose a Ã¢â‚¬Å“stop shipÃ¢â‚¬Â order, preventing Motorola from shipping Android wireless devices featuring SkyhookÃ¢â‚¬™s XPS software.

Rubin claimed that using XPS in Androi

...
(continues)

Menno

First off, we don't have Motorla OR Google's take on this. All we have is Skyhook's.

But if using skyhook WOULD break API's, then it should be kept from getting the android market. (I highly doubt they got an actual cease and disist for all produc...
(continues)

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