Oracle Wants $9.3B from Google as 6-Year-Old Java Copyright Battle Continues

By The WHIR

Oracle is looking for $9.3 billion in damages from Google as its long-running copyright battle goes back to court on May 9.

The case centers on Oracle’s claim that Google needs a license to use parts of the Java platform in Android. In 2012, the jury was split on whether the search giant’s use of Java was protected by fair use. The new trial will cover six additional versions of Android, up to and including Lollipop.

Oracle is asking for about 10 times the amount it sought when the case initially went to trial in 2012. It could be lowered before the case gets to trial in less than six weeks.

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IDG said that $9.3 billion “reflects the dramatic growth of both Android and the smartphone market in the intervening years.” Consider this: in Q2 2012 Android accounted for 69.3 percent of the smartphone market; in Q2 2016 that number has increased to 82.8 percent.

On Friday, US District Judge William Alsup called on Google and Oracle to explain how they plan to use the information available on social media profiles of potential jurors. Prospective jurors will be given a chance to adjust the privacy settings on their social media accounts prior to the jury selection process.

In the last trial, Alsup found Oracle’s Java programming interfaces were ineligible to be copyrighted, but the Federal Circuit reversed his ruling in May 2014. The US Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal of the reversal in June 2015, according to Courthouse News.

Original article appeared here: Oracle Wants $9.3B from Google as 6-Year-Old Java Copyright Battle Continues