• Latest
    • AI
    • Careers
    • Copyright
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • Events Videos
    • Law firm news
    • Trade secrets
  • In-house
  • Patents
  • Trademarks
  • Jurisdictions
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia
    • Australasia
    • Africa
    • Unified Patent Court
  • Rankings
    • About Rankings
    • Practice Area Rankings
    • Diversity & Inclusion Top 100 2025
    • Leaders 2025
    • Directory
  • WIPR Insights
    • Magazines
    • IP services: Product walk-throughs
    • Whitepapers
    • Webinars
  • Events
    • Events schedule
  • About
  • Contact
  • Newsletter
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Newsletter
  • Login


Request Trial
  • Home
  • Copyright
  • Google v Oracle: bad news for API developers
shutterstock_1688525080_joyseulay
6 April 2021CopyrightBill Frankel

Google v Oracle: bad news for API developers

In a 6-2 decision, with Justice Stephen Breyer authoring the majority opinion, the Supreme Court has reversed the Federal Circuit’s decision and found that Google’s use of 11,500 lines of the Java SE Application Programming Interface (API) to tailor its Android platform to smartphone technology was fair use under copyright law.

Already registered?

Login to your account


If you don't have a login or your access has expired, you will need to purchase a subscription to gain access to this article, including all our online content.

For more information on individual annual subscriptions for full paid access and corporate subscription options please contact us.

To request a FREE 2-week trial subscription, please signup.
NOTE - this can take up to 48hrs to be approved.

Two Weeks Free Trial

For multi-user price options, or to check if your company has an existing subscription that we can add you to for FREE, please email Adrian Tapping at atapping@newtonmedia.co.uk


More on this story

Trademarks
Google wins keyword ad dispute
16 February 2022   The Supreme Court of Georgia in the US has affirmed a win for Google, with its refusal to revive allegations that the tech company improperly profited off the name “Edible Arrangements” in its keyword advertising.
Copyright
Adblock developer beats HTML copyright suit
19 January 2022   The company behind the online ad-blocking extension Adblock Plus has convinced a German court to uphold HTML open standards in a copyright suit targetting the service.
Copyright
Google signs news rehosting deal with AFP
22 November 2021   Google has signed a licensing agreement with news agency Agence France-Presse that will see the tech company paying to host its news content.


Editor's picks

Gonna be golden: KPop Demon Hunters slays the IP rulebook
Trademarks
Gonna be golden: KPop Demon Hunters slays the IP rulebook
26 January 2026

Editor's picks

Trademarks
Gonna be golden: KPop Demon Hunters slays the IP rulebook
26 January 2026
In-House
US in-house counsel brace for funder-fuelled litigation in 2026
16 January 2026
In-House
Final call: Who are the world’s best in-house counsel?
16 January 2026
Patents
What IPR and PGR institutions mean under USPTO director Squires
12 January 2026
Copyright
Top Gun: Maverick suit nosedives on copyright and contract claims
5 January 2026
Patents
PTAB year in review: A shifting landscape and outlook for 2026
2 January 2026

More articles

Music publishers hit Anthropic with $3bn copyright infringement lawsuit
Apple stole webcam tech to dominate market, claims UK software firm
Firm adds seven-lawyer team in second major merger
Gonna be golden: KPop Demon Hunters slays the IP rulebook
Simpson Thacher adds ‘exemplary’ litigator with emerging tech expertise
Examining the USPTO’s 2025 AI Inventorship Guidance
30 years of the TRIPS Agreement—and the cracks are showing
Venner Shipley aims at 'M4 tech corridor' with new UK office

  • Home
  • News
  • Directory
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Terms of Subscription

WIPR
Newton Media Ltd
Kingfisher House
21-23 Elmfield Road
BR1 1LT
United Kingdom

  • Twitter
  • Linkedin