Google offers support to Android firms in lawsuits
(Reuters) - Google Inc will continue to offer support to firms using its Android system that are involved in legal disputes, its executive chairman Eric Schmidt said on Wednesday, as the Internet giant looks to cement alliances in the face of toughening competition.
Context & Ripple Effects
Google had already stepped in to defend Android developers and sought dismissal of Oracle's Android lawsuit, making Schmidt's pledge an extension of a developing legal-defense role rather than a one-off statement.
The commitment also addresses alliance pressures around Google's pending Motorola Mobility purchase: Schmidt had denied that Motorola would receive preferential treatment, while Android partners faced a more contentious patent environment.
First-order effects
- Android firms involved in legal disputes gain an explicit commitment of support from Google, tying the platform owner more directly to their defense.
- Google takes on a clearer responsibility for protecting the companies that build and distribute Android devices and software.
Second-order effects
- Android device makers can weigh Google's legal backing alongside the operating system itself when deciding how closely to align with the platform.
- Parties bringing claims against Android firms face a more coordinated response from Google and the affected ecosystem members.
Third-order effects
- If Google sustains this approach, legal defense becomes part of the competitive bargain of joining Android, not merely a matter for each manufacturer or developer to manage alone.
The trend: Mobile platforms are becoming responsible not only for software distribution but also for defending the commercial ecosystems built on them.