Google did not infringe on Oracle's patents in Android, jury unearths

The trial of Google vs Oracle, which started out in 2010, is in the end over. After  weeks of deliberation, a jury discovered Google's use of Oracle's Java application application interface (API) as "honest use."

For the ones unfamiliar with programming, APIs are a fixed of protocols and tools that allow special portions of software to talk to each other. it's how web sites can integrate buttons to percentage articles on facebook, Twitter and other social networks, for example.

Android became a tremendous achievement over the years, with over 1.four billion activated devices round the world, even as Oracle's Java licensing business tanked. Oracle argued it deserved part of Android's success given that Google used its code. consistent with ArsTechnica, Oracle should have requested for as a whole lot as $nine billion in damages if it won.

A win for software program builders

all through the trial, Oracle argued Google copied elements of its Java API packages and related code in an effort to take a "shortcut at Oracle's expense."

Oracle lawyer Peter Bricks claimed Google "copied eleven,500 lines of code" during last arguments. "it is undisputed. They took the code, they copied it, and positioned it right into Android," said Bricks.

Google's victory means software program builders who agree with programming language APIs are honest use can breath a sigh of remedy. If Oracle had won, builders the use of the Java APIs might have had to license its use, bringing the app economic system crashing down. it might've been a critical blow to open source software program development.

but, APIs are still blanketed by means of copyright regulation beneath one appeals court, though Google's victory now units a precedent towards that protection. it's in all likelihood we'll see a persevering with conflict over whether or not APIs may be copyrighted in any respect.

Oracle has vowed to attraction the decision. "We strongly agree with that Google advanced Android by way of illegally copying middle Java generation to rush into the mobile device marketplace," said Oracle standard recommend Dorian Daley. "Oracle brought this lawsuit to place a prevent to Google's illegal behavior."