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BT Sues Google Over Android

Posted by samzenpus on from the sue-cycle dept.

phonewebcam writes "British Telecom is claiming billions of dollars of damages from Google in a lawsuit filed in the U.S. which says that the Android mobile operating system infringes a number of the telecoms company's key patents. The lawsuit, filed in the state of Delaware in the U.S., relates to six patents which BT says are infringed by the Google Maps, Google Music, location-based advertising and Android Market products on Android. If successful, the suit could mean that Google or mobile handset makers will have to pay BT royalties on each Android handset in use and which they produce."

2 of 214 comments (clear)

  1. What the fuck? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The patent cited in the article as an example of BT's amazingly valuable innovations:

    Deciding whether to stream music based on whether the phone is using a wifi or cellular connection.

    Why the fuck is that patentable? Seriously, I just looked up "obvious" in the dictionary and it gave that idea as an example. That's not an invention or a technology. What the fuck, America?

  2. Re:I'll be watching this one by JonahsDad · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I don't think they are patent trolls, somehow.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BT_Group

    Depends on your point of view. This is the company that sued (and lost) claiming a patent on the hyperlink.
    http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/networking/2000/12/18/bt-sues-over-hyperlink-claim-2083266/