By Kim Yoo-chul
Google could come to Samsung Electronics’ defense against Apple during their new patent trial that started Friday (local time), according to reports and industry sources.
“Google engineers have never copied Apple’s iPhone features for use in Google Android,” Hiroshi Lockheimer, Google vice president of Android, told the San Jose court, presided over by District Judge Lucy H. Koh.
Lockheimer’s remarks were confirmed by Google Korea.
This is the first time that a Google executive has backed Samsung in the ongoing battle with Apple, officials of the two companies said.
“We like to have our own identity; we like to have our own ideas. We are very passionate about what we are doing, and it is important that we have our own ideas,” Lockheimer was quoted as saying.
Apple is seeking a $2.19 billion in damages from Samsung.
“With help from Google, Samsung plans to appeal to the new jury and judge as a manufacturer which has been providing distinguished value via Samsung- and Google-owned patented features,” an industry official said, asking not to be identified.
“During testimony, Google will claim that its Android operating system was a result of sincere commitment to research and the fruit of hard work by Google engineers,” he added.
Samsung Electronics is the strongest backer of Google Android and a representative of the so-called Android Alliance.
The Korean firm said many other witnesses on the list for Samsung are Google executives.
Cary Clark and Dianne Hackborn are ready to testify about the development, design of Android.
They plan to talk about “key features” that Google developed but was accused by Apple of patent infringement. Android creator Andy Rubin will also testify.
Yoon Seon-hee, chairman of the Korea Industry Property Law Association, said that Samsung is calling Google executives to seek an advantageous position and to sign cross-licensing deals with Apple.
Samsung previously signed cross-licensing deals with top technology companies as CISCO and Ericsson following legal disputes.
Apple said the trial has nothing to do with Android, but some experts said the lawsuit is “directly aimed at curbing Android.”
“I think Apple’s patent disputes with Samsung were aimed at putting a dent in the Android ecosystem,” Yukari Iwatani Kane, the author of “Haunted Empire; Apple After Steve Jobs” said in a recent interview.
“We know this because Steve Jobs said as much to his biographer Walter Isaacson. That Apple is fighting so hard is clearly an indication that the company worries about Android,” she said.