Skyhook on Wednesday sued Google for allegedly abusing its control over Android to exclude competitors for geolocation services. The Boston court lawsuit accused Google of preventing Android phone makers from using Skyhook’s positioning, such as its Wi-Fi triangulation. Instead force them to Google’s own positioning code.
“There was a time when Google tried to compete fairly with Skyhook,” the main lawsuit read. “But once Google realized its positioning technology was not competitive, it chose other means to undermine Skyhook and damage and attempt to destroy its position in the marketplace for location positioning technology.”
CEO Ted Morgan claimed to have petitioned Google’s Android leader Andy Rubin as late as today but filed the lawsuit after it appeared no concessions were possible. The loss of customers has cost Skyhook “millions of dollars,” the complaint said.
A second lawsuit also accused Google of violating four Skyhook patents and, if successful, would ask for a permanent ban on Google’s Wi-Fi triangulation routines without a settlement in place.
Google hasn’t formally responded to either of the lawsuits.
