Eric Schmidt, Google’s outspoken chairman, has struck once again with a PR-friendly statement on patents, which, of course, portrays Google as a superhero of consumer rights while casting Apple as the shady villain.
The statement was given while Schmidt is in Asia, where he officially announced the Nexus 7 (a $199 7-inch tablet) in Tokyo on Monday (and made a stab at Apple in the process, of course). Speaking of Apple, with their recent legal victory against Samsung fresh in mind, Schmidt stated (via 9to5Mac):
“Literally patent wars prevent choice, prevent innovation and I think that is very bad. We are obviously working through that and trying to make sure we stay on the right side of these issues. So ultimately Google stands for innovation as opposed to patent wars.”
[…] “I think one of the worst things that happened in the last few years has been the belief that somehow there are so many patents in the mobile phone world, an estimated 200,000 patent that are overlapping and complicated and so forth, that one vendor can stop the sale of another vendor’s phones or devices,” he added.
Of course, it’s not like Google (or Motorola Mobility, which they recently acquired) has ever taken anybody to court over patents? Oh, wait – they have (1, 2, 3, 4, etc.)! And I’m sure Google would sit back and do nothing if Apple launched a Google-like search engine. </sarcasm>
It’s a convenient (though absolutely hypocritical) position for Google to take, considering that their Android platform violates no less than 17 of Apple and Microsoft’s mobile patents. Of course they don’t want people to sue them – who would?
What an utter load of Schmidt. Google is no patent-hating consumer superhero. Thanks for your comments, Mr. Schmidt – you’re always good for a laugh!
