Google attempts to join HTC as co-defendant against Nokia

We’ve covered the Nokia initial filing against HTC, as well as HTC’s response to Nokia in a couple of previous articles, but just in case you only need a quick sum up, what you need to know is that Nokia filed suit against HTC (and also an ITC complaint) back in May 2012 for the alleged breaking of no less than 16 patents owned by the Finnish smartphone manufacturer. HTC responded a couple of weeks back and rose a FRAND (Fair, Reasonable and Non-Discriminatory) licensing and patent exhaustion defense. So far, this all seems to have nothing to do with Google, right?

Well, as it turns out, the Search giant has a totally different opinion on the matter, as a recently uncovered Google filling has revealed that Google has asked the court to join HTC as a co-defendant in the case. Although Google was often forced to provide testimonies relating to its Android OS in lawsuits against third-party Android manufacturers (not to mention that its lawyers attend many Android-related lawsuits), this is the first time when Google steps up and asks to become a co-defendant in a lawsuit that does not target the company directly.

It remains to be seen if Google will be granted the permission to share the defendant bench with the High Tech Computer Corporation, even though some analysts claim that both Nokia’s filling, as well as HTC’s defense do not involve Google in any obvious way. The same experts claim that Google’s move might be closely tied with the EU Anti-Trust complaint that it has formulated last month against Nokia and Microsoft, as well as a previous ITC decision that excluded 5 patents leased by HTC from Google.

It sure looks like Google’s lawyers are becoming at least equally busy as the suit army employed by Apple. They’ve already started to copy moves from the Apple lawyer rule-book, and now it looks like they are also adopting the same “trial frenzy” attitude that the iPhone maker has been much criticized for in the recent months.

What are your thoughts on this? Is Google’s attempt to beat Apple at its own game something you frown upon, or is it something you support? Drop us a line in the comment section below and let us know!

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