Google hopes to speed along Oracle Java suit

Google in a joint reply Wednesday gave signs that it was willing to settle Oracle's lawsuit over Java in Android. After repeatedly trying to reject any claims, Google asked for the case claims to be narrowed down so it could negotiate an "informal resolution," or a settlement. It's unclear whether Oracle was at all receptive to the idea.

Oracle has wanted at least $2.6 billion and may make it difficult for Google to reduce the amount to something it might be willing to pay. Google is waiting on two reexaminations of Oracle's Java patent claims that may help determining its next course.

Neither side wants the case to go on for an extended period. Oracle in the reply used Google's own rapid growth against it, saying that its 500,000 Android activations per day and its hiring of current or former Oracle and Sun staff like James Gosling were proof the damage was only getting worse.

Google has had a difficult time defending itself over the course of the lawsuit. Instances have surfaced of seemingly directly borrowed Java code in a number of phone manufacturers' implementations of Android, in a few cases with holdover Sun trademarks intact. Android is inherently based around a custom implementation of Java and faces an increased, though not necessarily inherent, risk.

The mobile OS developer is facing assaults on all sides through complaints against its partners, including from Apple and Microsoft. They as well as Oracle are effectively hoping to give Android an inherently high price to both profit from its success and discourage its use. [via Florian Mueller]

By Electronista Staff