Oracle and Google are returning to court on Monday for the next round in their dispute over Android’s use of Java APIs. Previously, the appeals court determined that APIs could be copyrighted, but it did not address the issue of whether Google’s use of the Java APIs in Android constituted “fair use.” That’s the issue the two companies will be arguing in court, with Oracle requesting $9.3 million in damages.
Observers note that the decision will be very important for the mobile development industry and for software development in general. If the jury decides in Oracle’s favor, it could put many other developers in danger of being sued for unauthorized use of APIs.
