The Register® — Biting the hand that feeds IT

Feeds

Microsoft sues Google directly in German Maps-on-Moto lawsuit

These manufacturers are only Mountain View pawns

Agentless Backup is Not a Myth

Microsoft is taking the rare step of suing Google directly for something, tacking it onto a lawsuit against Motorola Mobility over Google Maps.

Yesterday in Munich court, Microsoft's general counsel Dr Tilman Müller-Stoy told Moto that it was going to amend its complaint to add its parent Google as an additional defendant. Dr Müller-Stoy confirmed the move to The Register, but wasn't authorised to give any further information.

The hearing was the first in the complaint over a patent that deals with a computer system for identifying local resources, which is aimed at Google Maps. Most Moto mobes are already off the German market because of Redmond patent wins, but targeting Google itself could have much larger implications.

If Google is found guilty over Google Maps, it may have to either pull Android phones using the Maps or pull the app off its partners' smartphones.

Microsoft and other Android-moaners like Apple have so far only been suing Android-using manufacturers, not Google itself. Now that Google owns Moto, it's been helping out with legal problems a bit more directly, but this will still be the first time it has to defend itself. ®

What you need to know about cloud backup

Anonymous Coward

I think Microsoft does need a good kicking, perhaps then they will stop copying others.

31
3
Anonymous Coward

I think Apple does need a good kicking, perhaps then they will stop copying others and actually credit those who designed underlying applications and OS's

27
4

This patent war is getting out of hand, we are going to be dragged back to the dark ages because of these greedy arrogant fools.

21
4

More from The Register

SCO vs. IBM battle resumes over ownership of Unix
Zombie lawsuit back and wants to suck the brains out of Linux
 breaking news
NSA whistleblower to tech firms, Obama: 'Grow a pair!'
Ed Snowden: Email tracking grabs 'IPs, raw data, content, headers, attachments, everything'
 breaking news
Ecuador: All right, Julian, you CAN stay on our sofa - it's your human right
Minister and Wikileaker share cosy chat in tiny London flat
Google flings another £1m at online child sex abuse vid CRACKDOWN
See, see, we're trying, ad giant tells Daily Mail UK.gov
 breaking news
NSA PRISM-gate: Relax, GCHQ spooks 'keep us safe', says Cameron
Whatever they are up to, it's all above board, we're told
 breaking news
BBC lied to Parliament about doomed £100m IT monster, thunder MPs
Axed DMI ballooned and burst while watchdogs sang Kumbaya
PRISM snitch claims NSA hacked Chinese targets since 2009
Snowden suddenly looks safer in Hong Kong after revelations
 breaking news
US chief spook: Look, we only want to spy on 6.66 BEELLLION of you
Americans assured they are not in the NSA's sights