“Google believes that Microsoft’s and Apple’s purchases of patents are anticompetitive, and that the mobile patents they own are bogus. To combat this, Google is going to acquire its own (bogus?) patents,” Paul Thurrott writes for Paul Thurrott’s SUpersite for Windows.
“Google licenses Android for free. So by raising the price of Android by imposing licensing fees on technologies Android is in fact using, Apple, Microsoft, and others are arguably simply leveling the playing field and taking away an artificial Android advantage, forcing the OS to compete more fairly. Arguably, by ‘dumping’ Android in the market at no cost, Google–which has unlimited cash and can afford to do such a thing–is behaving in an anticompetitive fashion,” Thurrott writes. “In fact, one could argue that Google is using its dominance in search advertising to unfairly gain entry into another market by giving that new product, Android, away for free. Does this remind you of any famous antitrust case?”
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“And where’s the harm to Google here? How can Google, which commands almost double the market share of the next closest competitor in this market and is, in fact, seeing nothing but continued growth, argue that its competitors are acting anti-competitively?” Thurrott wonders. “And speaking of harm, isn’t Google’s Android dumping harming competition? After all, the mobile OS makers it is competing against developed and paid for the technologies they use, and it’s reasonable for them to recoup those costs through the sale of their systems. Why is it OK for Google to steal their ideas and then give the resulting product away?”
Thurrott writes, “There’s no David in this story of Goliaths. But give me a break. Google has simply cast a light on its own dark secrets. It is Google, not Apple and Microsoft, that is behaving badly here.”
Much more in the full article – gulp, recommended (miracles do happen!) – here.
MacDailyNews Take: If even Thurrott can see it clearly…
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Ottawa Mark” for the heads up.]
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Analyst: Apple takes 50% of handset industry profits ahead of 100 million iPhone year – July 8, 2011
Nielsen: Apple iPhone drives U.S. smartphone growth as Android stagnates – June 30, 2011
Google Chief Legal Officer accuses Microsoft of lying on patent bid dispute – August 4, 2011
Why Google lashed out at Apple and Microsoft over patents: Android is in deep trouble and its top lawyer knows it – August 4, 2011
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Google legal honcho: Apple, Oracle, Microsoft use ‘bogus patents’ to wage hostile campaign against sainted Android – August 3, 2011
Bravo!
Bravo indeed.
Now … here is a blog entry to warm the cockles of ya heart.
http://brianshall.com/content/google-are-pussies
[…] David Drummond, you are a pussy.
Larry, Sergey, you are pussies.
And I know why you’re such pussies. I know why you have monopoly profits in one business, use them to *destroy* other businesses, dominate the newest business (smartphones) and still whine like little whiny bitches. […]
It’s a MUST read.
Of course, Thurrott is writing rationally, he’s taking aim at a bigger threat than Apple to his overlord.
DoJ shall open an investigation of Android dumping by Google, just as IE dumping by Microsoft back then.
Give Turd-rott a page hit? No, nay, never!
I know, I know. Now hold your nose and just this once give it a read, it is quite good and EXACTLY what Apples lawyers should argue if ever they need to.
If Thurott can see them … that the facts must be BLINDINGLY OBVIOUS.
what will (i-Phone dead in the Water) Blodget say? (perhaps he already has, I don’t bookmark his page… ).
Indeed, and in stark contrast to his normal boringly oblivious.
All thurrott sees is a credible threat to winblows phone so of course he is going to strike at it. To him android is a threat to the “family”.
i can see no proof of Android hurting MS or Apple. Apple sells devices faster than they can make them and i hardly blame google for MS shooting its mobile strategy in the foot.
The root of it all is that Android is the poster child for a widespread OS not controlled by MS or Apple and neither one can handle that possibility.
Im damn glad google made it cause the cats out of the bag and even if they gave up tomorrow the source code is sitting on thousands of machines the world over.
It’s a credible article from a Microsoft Goon.
“Google believes that Microsoft’s and Apple’s purchases of patents are anticompetitive, and that the mobile patents they own are bogus.”
No.
Google does not believe this.
Google reps know these statements are ridiculous, but they make these statements as a public relations tool (repeat a lie often enough, and it becomes the truth.).
Don’t mistake the publication of these hypocritical, contradictory statements, with Google’s people actually believing their own nonsense.
I’ve seen thieves in my life that prevent others from theft with draconian measures — Google just joined the club – paranoid club!
Strange bedfellows on both sides on this one.
My fear with the Mobile Patent Wars is that Apple may end up strengthening Microsoft’s position. While it may be better to have a segmented market with lots of smaller competitors, I really have a distaste for Microsoft being even #2 behind Apple.
A pro-Apple column from PT. Imagine that.
Thurrott’s been OK recently. I’ve been listening to the WindowsWeekly podcast for a while, and with MS’s decline, he’s mellowed out a bit. He’s not in denial anymore, the iDud (as he once called it) is kicked low-end PC ass, and as a result, he can’t really say anything. He tried to defend Windows 8 (eg. one OS for 2 different form factors), but he’s never used it– no one has.
All he has now, (believe me, Windows phone isn’t really worth bragging about these days) is the faint hope that Windows 8 will somehow beat the iPad.. um.. in mid 2012, etc.
Agreed.
I think he’s beginning to sense that the world has fundamentally changed somehow, somewhere along the way on him.
It has, as it has for the rest of us. It reminds me of how DOS had its defenders for a time after GUI appeared. That’s where he’s at — or was, I guess.
There came a time when even DOS-afficionados faded and weren’t heard from again. You’re seeing a little of that now. You don’t hear much of Windows X vs OS X anymore, do you?
PT and others like that are fading. If they want to try and stay relevant, the old PC vs Mac line just doesn’t work anymore, and hasn’t for some time.
Thurridiot is just chasing the money. Although he has long hitched his wagon to Microsoft, he will shill for anyone with power and money, especially with Microsoft on a downward trend. You know the old saying about rats and sinking ships.
Thurrott has no credibility in my book, and I don’t foresee him every earning it. Just because he says something reasonable once in a while does not make him a worthwhile source. There are people out there with good credentials and long track records of reporting integrity. They deserve my attention far more than the Thurrotts and Enderles of this world.
Hey – does Microsoft some how as recently mention asking and collecting licencing fees for Android? I believe I did read that correctly. Sure Android is based on WebKit same engine Apple uses. The Apple iOS is not free – but companies can innovate with it.
Android developement is basically Skinning. iCandy on what Apple has created. Hardware and interaction has virtually been stolen from Apple and yes some stuff ib Android os innovative and sure improved but functionality on Software with Hardware design it All Apples underlining functionality as to a modern smart phone.
I think Apple should just buy out Samsung then they got there own manufacturing and all that Samsung has done shall add to Apple.
It would have been better that the work Samsung has done was with Apple not against it. They breached a partnership as did Google.
When it comes to crushing Microsoft. He will belittle all that approach.
The Microsoft hound is barking at the biggest competitor to threat his bowl of food. Just throw a bone and keep a sharp eye on the dog. Failure to do so will at the very least leave one with a severe bit.
Woof 🙂
Code on millions of machines… WebKit is free open-source Apple has been innovating with WebKit and so has other companies. What other code are we speaking of. iOS is not free. Patents and innovation of what a smart phone looks like and works like… Come on now. The screen capture function on the Samsung Gallaxy S 2 is exactly the same ad iPad and iPhone. Look at Microsoft and Apple these days Lion taking ideas from XP to gain users like stretch from all corners of a window Exactly like on Windows.
Apple is trying to defend it’s IP but all its’ patents are not world wide accepted yet that takes a very long time.
Even in the USA when filed these patents were not fully understood. So Apple comes at a disadvantage where it has innovated and is managing it’s devices / machines for all things Apple.
I agree with everything he says except Android seeing “nothing but continued growth”.
Surely you mean hypercritical? Hypo = low.
Dude, it’s “hypocritical” as in “hypocrite,” not hypo-critical. (From the Greek for “actor”, q.v.)
OMG this is like the proverbial stopped (analog) clock being right twice a day.
If Google had succeeded in acquiring the Nortel LTE assets, they would have had no issue with weilding those patents in it’s favour. But after losing a fair fight, they’re now claiming unfair.
Google are a bunch of wankers!
Didn’t Larry Page and Sergei Brin take a vow of poverty? I’m sure Google’s not in this for money. Right?