The Uncertain Future of Google’s Android

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By Trey Thoelcke Published
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The primary concern about the future of mobile operating systems now that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) has defeated Samsung in a court battle over patents is that Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) will be Apple’s next target. If Apple does sue Google, and wins, the Android OS that powers most of the world’s smartphones would have an uncertain future.

Must less visible is Microsoft Corp.’s (NASDAQ: MSFT) successful attempts to get hardware companies to pay royalties for Android — in some cases as high as $5 per unit. The Apple suit could embolden Microsoft to take action of its own against Google — one of its major competitors. Analysis about how the Apple win may help Microsoft has centered on the fact that the world’s largest software company and its smartphone hardware partner Nokia (NYSE: NOK) will have an easier time selling their products as Samsung retrenches. But Microsoft’s ability to assert that its mobile patents have been violated may be an even bigger win.

Douglas A. McIntyre

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About the Author Trey Thoelcke →

Trey has been an editor and author at 24/7 Wall St. for more than a decade, where he has published thousands of articles analyzing corporate earnings, dividend stocks, short interest, insider buying, private equity, and market trends. His comprehensive coverage spans the full spectrum of financial markets, from blue-chip stalwarts to emerging growth companies.

Beyond 24/7 Wall St., Trey has created and edited financial content for Benzinga and AOL's BloggingStocks, contributing additional hundreds of articles to the investment community. He previously oversaw the 24/7 Climate Insights site, managing editorial operations and content strategy, and currently oversees and creates content for My Investing News.

Trey's editorial expertise extends across multiple publishing environments. He served as production editor at Dearborn Financial Publishing and development editor at Kaplan, where he helped shape financial education materials. Earlier in his career, he worked as a writer-producer at SVE. His freelance editing portfolio includes work for prestigious clients such as Sage Publications, Rand McNally, the Institute for Supply Management, the American Library Association, Eggplant Literary Productions, and Spiegel.

Outside of financial journalism, Trey writes fiction and has been an active member of the writing community for years, overseeing a long-running critique group and moderating workshop sessions at regional conventions. He lives with his family in an old house in the Midwest.

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