Skyhook Wireless Sues Google Over Anti-Competitive Practices 228
dwightk writes "According to a lawsuit brought by Skyhook Wireless, Google allegedly forced Motorola, among other Android handset makers, to use Google's own location services instead of alternatives like Skyhook's. Quoting the lawsuit: 'In complete disregard of its common-law and statutory obligations, and in direct opposition to its public messaging encouraging open innovation, Google wielded its control over the Android operating system ... to force device manufacturers to use its technology rather than that of Skyhook, to terminate contractual obligations with Skyhook, and to otherwise force device manufacturers to sacrifice superior end user experience with Skyhook by threatening directly or indirectly to deny timely and equal access to evolving versions of the Android operating system and other Google mobile applications.'"
John Gruber points out another interesting excerpt from the complaint regarding Google's procedure for determining Android compliance, which includes what Skyhook calls an "amorphous outline of additional, non-standardized requirements" that "effectively gives Google the ability to arbitrarily deem any software, feature or function 'non-compatible.'"
Re:Skyhook's funding ... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:force (v.) - use of physical power to compel (Score:3, Funny)
Seriously, when did "Oh no, we're being forced to compete! Let's sue everyone!" become an acceptable business plan?
SCO has a patent as well as a trademark on that. One more lawsuit coming soon...
Re:Skyhook's funding ... (Score:5, Funny)
You didn't finish... where's the link to Kevin Bacon?