Over the past two weeks, Google and Oracle has been involved in a court case that centers around the Java API. On Oracle’s side, they claimed that Google has infringed upon the Java API copyright as 37 such APIs were used to develop the Android operating system. On Google’s side, they claimed that the APIs does not infringe on any copyrights as it was protected by fair use. Today, the jury has decided and they ruled that Google’s use of the Java API did indeed fall under fair use in copyright law.
Google was pleased with the outcome of course, as this means that they would not have to pay USD 9.3 billion in damages that Oracle is seeking. “Today’s verdict that Android makes fair use of Java APIs represents a win for the Android ecosystem, for the Java programming community, and for software developers who rely on open and free programming languages to build innovative consumer products,” says a Google spokesperson.
Needless to say, Oracle isn’t happy about the verdict and the company plans to appeal the decision. “We strongly believe that Google developed Android by illegally copying core Java technology to rush into the mobile device market. Oracle brought this lawsuit to put a stop to Google’s illegal behavior. We believe there are numerous grounds for appeal and we plan to bring this case back to the Federal Circuit on appeal,” says Dorain Daley, General Counsel for Oracle.
Source: Ars Technica