Sonos is suing Google for allegedly copying speaker technology
Reported today on TechSpot
For the full article visit: https://www.techspot.com/news/83445-s...
Sonos is suing Google for allegedly copying speaker technology
Amazon is also allegedly guilty of patent infringement
The big picture: Sonos is suing Google in two different courts over allegations of patent infringement. While the patent litigation is the primary reason, a secondary reason may be increasingly anti-competitive relationship Sonos has with Google and Amazon. Sonos relies on both for their virtual assistants and storefronts, however, Google Home and Amazon Echo undercut Sonos speakers in price by a significant margin.
Popular smart speaker company Sonos is suing Google in two courts for allegedly stealing its speaker technology, according to The New York Times. Sonos says that Google is infringing on at least five patents related to wireless syncing of multiple speakers. The company is seeking a ban on all of Google's speakers, smartphones, and laptops in the United States along with financial restitution.
"Google has been blatantly and knowingly copying our patented technology," CEO Patrick Spence said in a statement to the Times. "Despite our repeated and extensive efforts over the last few years, Google has not shown any willingness to work with us on a mutually beneficial solution. We're left with no choice but to litigate."
According to Sonos, the whole issue stems from the 2013 partnership between the two companies. Google didn't make speakers at the time and the effort went towards making Sonos compatible with Google Play Music. However, things fell apart when Google released the Chromecast Audio, Pixel smartphones, and the Google Home line of smart speakers. Sonos claims all of those products use Sonos' patented technology that Google got access to during the earlier partnership.
