Lodsys switching tactics, now going after Android developers

By Molly McHugh May 27, 2011

Last week, patent holding firm Lodsys decided to take on iOS developers for using their allegedly patented in-app payment technology. Apple immediately shot back, saying its licensing rights to the technology extends to its developers.

But Lodsys will not be deterred: The firm is now lodging the same complaints against Android. Cult of Mac noticed a forum thread in which an Android developer claims to have been contacted by Lodsys over the issue. “We recently implemented in-app purchases for our Android application and several weeks later we received a letter from Lodsys, claiming that we infringed on their patents,” a developer by the handle “Markusn82” says. He also, wisely, asks if any of his peers have experienced the same thing and more importantly, whether or not Google is going to do something about it.

Google introduced it’s in-app payment plan for Android about two months ago, and developers have since been making use of the system.

There’s speculation that Google will be less involved when it comes to defending its developers, as some think it has a less hands-on approach with Android than Apple does with iOS. Lodsys has been targeting developers instead of their respective platforms given their difficulty and financial inability to fight such litigation. But if it’s any consolation for Android developers, Google has licensed the same in-app technology that Apple did, so should it choose to fight to tell Lodsys to leave its developers alone, it certainly can.

Whatever Google chooses to do, it’s certainly telling that after being told to get lost by Apple Lodsys has moved to its next target.

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Before coming to Digital Trends, Molly worked as a freelance writer, occasional photographer, and general technical lackey…

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