Are Google's Patents Too Weak To Protect Android? 257
An anonymous reader writes "The Guardian published an opinion piece written by former-NoSoftwarePatents-activist-turned-controversial-patent-blogger Florian Mueller. He lists 12 patent lawsuits instigated against Android last year, says there are many more to come, and believes that Google's portfolio of only 576 US patents is dwarved by those of Apple, Microsoft, Oracle and others. So Google can't retaliate against aggressors such as Oracle. Consequently — he argues — Android makers will have to remove functionality or pay high license fees, and the operating system will become unprofitable for handset makers. Even the app ecosystem could suffer, he says. Since Google received only 282 new US patents in 2010, the gap between Google's portfolio and those of its competitors is widening further: Apple produces about twice as many, and Microsoft gets more than 3,000 new ones a year. Let's discuss this: is Android really in for so much trouble? Can't Google find other ways (than owning many patents) to defend it than countersuing? How about its vast financial resources?"
Re:Nah. (Score:4, Funny)
China is nothing compared to an army of Patent-lawyers.
Re:Or... (Score:2, Funny)
"Quantitity"
What's on your mind, exactly?
Re:Google does have buttloads of cash though (Score:3, Funny)
Microsoft has a patent on a phone crashing. If any Android app ever crashes, they'll have to pay royalties to Microsoft, remove the bugs (the offending functionality), or pull that app from market.
Re:Hmmm.... (Score:4, Funny)
I look at this whole patent wars thing and have the distinct feeling that lawyers and executives are playing their own exclusive, worldwide, and expensive version of Starcraft.
"OMG PATENT TROLL RUSH!"
"SC_EASTTEXASCOURT IS A CRAPPY MAP!"
"SUMMARY JUDGEMENT BITCH, GG NO RE"