Published in Mobiles

Google pledges to help partners' Android legal woes

by on10 November 2011



Schmidt tightens up allies in the Far East


Search engine outfit Google is offering its hardware allies cash if they stand up to the proprietary company's patent trollage against Android.

Schmidt has been touring his glorious allies in the Far East and telling them how Google was not going to do any special favours for Motorola, now that it has just bought it. Putting his money where his mouth is Schmidt said that Google support firms using its Android system that are involved in legal disputes. The move looks to cement alliances in the face of toughening legal rows.

He said that he was telling his partners, including the ones in Taiwan, Google will support them. “For example we have been supporting HTC in its dispute with Apple because we think that the Apple thing is not correct," Schmidt told reporters during his first visit to Taipei.

Support includes information sharing, industry expertise and access to Google's patents for licensing and legal purposes, Schmidt said. Schmidt's visit also comes as Asian Android vendors are preparing to release their latest models based on Microsoft's Windows platform, seeking to diversify and reduce the risk of being depending too heavily on Google.

An executive of one Taiwanese company who met Schmidt on Wednesday said he raised concerns over the patent disputes surrounding Android and Schmidt acknowledged the issue.

Last modified on 10 November 2011
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