Ce blog est personnel, la rédaction n’est pas à l’origine de ses contenus.
Google va payer la plus grosse amende jamais donnée par la FTC : 22,5 millions de dollars. L’agence souhaite ainsi envoyer un "message clair" à tous les grands groupes et les appelle "respecter la confidentialité" des utilisateurs.
La Commission fédérale du commerce (FTC) aux Etats-Unis a annoncé jeudi que Google allait payer une amende "record" de 22,5 millions de dollars. Acceptée par un accord avec le groupe, cette amende soldera des poursuites liées à la surveillance des utilisateurs du navigateur d'Apple, Safari.
LA FTC estime que Google avait trompé les utilisateurs en affirmant qu’ils ne seraient pas victimes de publicités ciblées, grâce à une meilleure gestion des cookies. Ce qui s'est avéré faux.
Une méthode de surveillance déjà pointée du doigt par le Wall Street Journal au mois février. Ce dernier visait en particulier Google et certaines entreprises de publicité.
Jon Leibowitz, le président FTC a précisé : "En plus de l'amende civile, la décision exige aussi que Google désactive tous les cookies qu'il avait dit qu'il n'installerait pas sur les ordinateurs des internautes". Cette décision peut être considérée comme un avertissement pour les grands groupes : "Qu'elles soient grandes ou petites, toutes les sociétés doivent respecter les décisions de la FTC et garder les promesses de confidentialité faites aux consommateurs, ou elles finiront par payer beaucoup plus que ce que leur aurait coûté le respect des règles".
Google a pour sa part assuré avoir réparé ses torts : "Nous avons modifié cette page et pris des mesures pour retirer des navigateurs Apple les cookies publicitaires, qui ne contenaient pas d'informations personnelles".
Les sites anglais de la BBC, affichent ainsi un message stipulant à ses visiteurs qu'ils utilisent des "cookies" afin "d'améliorer l'expérience de navigation. La BBC stipule que si un refus n'est pas spécifiquement manifesté par l'utilisateur via les paramètres du navigateur, ces cookies seront installés et utilisés.
Google has said that it does not want the ruling in the Apple-Samsung patent lawsuit to "limit" consumers' access to Android devices.
A US jury ordered Samsung to pay Apple over $1bn (£664m) on Friday after ruling it had infringed several of the iPhone maker's software and design innovations.
Samsung said it intended to appeal.
There has been speculation that the news could encourage handset makers to install the rival Windows Phone system.
Google released its statement late on Sunday in the US.
"The court of appeals will review both infringement and the validity of the patent claims," it said.
"Most of these don't relate to the core Android operating system, and several are being re-examined by the US Patent Office.
"The mobile industry is moving fast and all players - including newcomers - are building upon ideas that have been around for decades. We continue to work with our partners to give consumers innovative and affordable products, and we don't want anything to limit that."
Apple v Android
Apple has indicated it will seek sales bans on eight of the phones at the heart of the lawsuit at a hearing on 20 September.
The models include the Galaxy S 4G, Galaxy S2 AT&T model, Galaxy S2 Skyrocket, Galaxy S2 T-Mobile model, Galaxy S2 Epic 4G, Galaxy S Showcase, Droid Charge and Galaxy Prevail.
The list does not include Samsung's current flagship handset, the Galaxy S3, which was not involved in the case.
However, Apple could now also try to use the verdict to try to halt sales of other Android-based models it believes infringe its patents.
There has been speculation this could work to Microsoft's advantage.
The jury said the Google-branded Nexus S did not infringe the pinch-to-zoom patent, but did infringe a bounce-back scrolling feature
During the patents court case Apple revealed it had licensed some of its technologies to Microsoft. Its lawyers also showed pictures of Nokia's Lumia - which runs Windows Phone 7 - as an example of a handset that looked distinctive from its own.
In contrast, Apple continues to be involved in lawsuits against two other Android-handset makers: Motorola - which is owned by Google - and HTC.
Dell, HTC, Samsung, LG and ZTE have already created Windows Phone 7 devices, but only Nokia has concentrated its efforts on the system.
One analyst said that the US ruling presented Microsoft with an opportunity to convince others to put their weight behind the next version of its mobile system.
"I think this will force a reset on Android products as they are re-engineered to get around Apple's patents," said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the tech consultancy Enderle Group.
"[It should also] provide a stronger opportunity for both of Microsoft's new platforms - Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 - because they come with indemnification against Apple, suddenly making them far safer."
However, manufacturers will have to weigh up Android's popularity before making a move.
Cross-licensing
According to recent data from analysts at IDC, Android had a 68.1% of the global smartphone market between April and June. Apple's iOS had 16.9% and Windows Phone/Windows Mobile had 5.4%. The data was based on shipments rather than sales.
In case Apple's patents hold up under appeal, Google could recode Android to ensure there was no potential infringement, or handset makers could seek to pay their rival a licence fee.
And there is another alternative: Apple could ultimately seek a patent cross-licensing deal with Google despite its late chief executive Steve Jobs' vow to "destroy Android".
Nokia, ZTE, HTC and Samsung are among the firms to have already released Windows Phone 7-based devices
Part-way through the Samsung case, Google filed its first lawsuit versus Apple since taking over Motorola. It alleged seven patent infringements, one of which involves the technology used in the iPhone's Siri voice-activated search tool.
Were Google to succeed it could call for a import ban on Apple's iOS products, potentially forcing its rival into a deal.
The case is driving share prices in related technology stocks.
Samsung's shares fell 7.5% in Seoul on Monday - their biggest drop since October 2008, wiping about $12bn off the companies value.
Nokia's shares closed 7.7% higher on the Helsinki Stock Exchange.
In New York, Apple's stock rose 1.88% to $675.68, Microsoft's about 0.4% up and Google's was down by 1.4%.
+1Comment number411. raindancer68 27TH AUGUST 2012 - 21:44
What I find amusing is that with all these smartphones, people think they've got real choice -- but it's all an illusion, because they all do virtually the same thing, run on identical chipsets and have similar high resolution screens.
+24Comment number345. justarealist 27TH AUGUST 2012 - 19:22
A lot of people are churning out the 'Samsung should concenrate on innovations not copying etc' line. Problem is, a "rounded rectangle with a touch screen" is only going to have so many ways of controlling it. The idea that someone can patent the movement of a button icon is ridiculous. Still, it'll be fun seeing how Apple handle the consumer backlash if they get their import / sales ban.
-42Comment number336. Keith Gould 27TH AUGUST 2012 - 19:05
On patents. To those saying to all parties stop litigating and spend the money on innovation. Just how do you think the engineers and years of development time is paid for? Without protection for intellectual property there is no incentive to innovate. To the anti-Apple trolls. Get over it. Apple's innovation and investment over more than 20 years has finally paid off and the quality shows.
-33Comment number231. Afrikaan 27TH AUGUST 2012 - 16:06
The only impact on this decision I hope is that it will force the likes of Samsung and HTC to innovate and come up with new ideas. Im bored of seeing all the same products. Gone are the days when you compare Phones now its all about price. There is nothing that just stands out any more and nothing that has just that little edge. I do believe this is all due to the copying pandemic in the industry.
+16Comment number158. Gabriel Oaks 27TH AUGUST 2012 - 14:56
These arguments over technology are all very well (and the defence of patents understood) but as a consumer all I want is a hand-held device that can make telephone calls! .
