Google beats Oracle in court over Android’s Java use, but appeals are coming

Google is not infringing Oracle’s Java APIs with its Android operating system, a court has ruled.

A jury found Android to be accessing Java APIs under a ‘fair use’ provision in copyright law. Via email to Ars Technica, a Google lawyer had the following post-trial take:

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.

And Oracle’s take:

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.

The trial was not looking good for Google, as Oracle’s lawyers seemed to be laying strong groundwork that Google’s use of Java in Android was anything but fair. In his closing arguments, Oracle lawyer Peter Bicks said “They copied 11,500 lines of code. It’s undisputed. They took the code, they copied it, and put it right into Android.”

This trial is over, but expect a quick appeal by Oracle.