• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Current price of oil as of July 13, 2026

2

Summer camps remain a battleground over what it means to be American

3

The U.S. spent $30 billion to ditch textbooks for laptops and tablets: The result is the first generation less cognitively capable than their parents

1

Current price of oil as of July 13, 2026

2

Summer camps remain a battleground over what it means to be American

3

The U.S. spent $30 billion to ditch textbooks for laptops and tablets: The result is the first generation less cognitively capable than their parents
TechOracle

Oracle Says It Considered Developing Its Own Phone Before Google Suit

By
Reuters
Reuters
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Reuters
Reuters
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 17, 2016, 1:16 PM ET
Key Speakers At The Oracle OpenWorld 2014 Conference
Safra Catz, co-chief executive officer of Oracle Corp., gestures as she speaks during the Oracle OpenWorld 2014 conference in San Francisco, California, U.S., on Sunday, Sept. 28, 2014. Catz made her first remarks as Oracle co-CEO at the conference when she introduced Intel Corp. President Renee James, who also spoke. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesPhotograph by David Paul Morris — Bloomberg via Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Longtime customers dramatically reduced the amount of licensing revenue they paid to use Oracle products after Google stole its copyrighted software to enter the smartphone market, Oracle’s chief executive Safra Catz told jurors on Tuesday.

In a trial at San Francisco federal court, Oracle has claimed Google’s Android smartphone operating system violated its copyright on parts of Java, a development platform. Alphabet’s Google unit said it should be able to use Java without paying a fee under the fair-use provision of copyright law.

Oracle acquired Sun in 2010 and sued Google after negotiations over its use of Java broke down. The jury was deadlocked in a trial in 2012, and if the current jury rules against Google on fair use, then it would consider Oracle’s request for $9 billion in damages.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

The case has been closely watched by software developers who fear an Oracle victory could spur more software copyright lawsuits.

In court on Tuesday, Catz said the decision by Google to distribute Android for free to phone manufacturers like Samsung undercut traditional licensing revenue those manufacturers paid for Java.

“It had a very negative impact,” Catz said.

Samsung, for instance, reduced payments from about $40 million to about $1 million, Catz said.

Amazon had traditionally used Java to develop its Kindle reader, Catz said, but switched to Android for the Fire. When Amazon was developing a new reader, the Paperwhite, Catz said Oracle was forced to offer a 97.5% discount to entice Amazon to use Java.

Google has attempted to portray itself as a true innovator and claims Oracle only turned to the courts because it could not succeed in the market. Under questioning from a Google attorney, Catz acknowledged that Oracle had considered developing its own phone but did not pursue the project.

To see how the outcome of the current Oracle-Google trial could affect developers, watch:

Jurors viewed an internal Oracle memo on its phone project, which concluded that Oracle had “very limited internal expertise to make smart decisions.”

Oracle has argued that Google violated basic moral principles by using elements of Java without a license. During her testimony, Catz said she encountered Google general counsel Kent Walker at a bat mitzvah in 2012.

According to Catz, Walker approached her and said: “You know Safra, Google is a really special company and the old rules don’t apply to us.”

“And I immediately said: thou shalt not steal, it’s an oldie but it’s a goodie,” Catz said.

About the Author
By Reuters
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Topgolf CEO David McKillips
C-SuiteSports
Topgolf’s CEO thinks the sport’s next star could get their start at one of its driving ranges
By Catherina GioinoJuly 14, 2026
48 minutes ago
‘Those who condemn AI are themselves spitting upward’: SoftBank’s CEO estimates $5 trillion needed annually to meet AI demand
AISoftbank
‘Those who condemn AI are themselves spitting upward’: SoftBank’s CEO estimates $5 trillion needed annually to meet AI demand
By The Associated Press and Mayuko OnoJuly 14, 2026
53 minutes ago
Ramp’s billionaire CEO ignores résumés and Ivy League degrees—he’s more interested in engineers who built Minecraft servers as teens
SuccessHiring
Ramp’s billionaire CEO ignores résumés and Ivy League degrees—he’s more interested in engineers who built Minecraft servers as teens
By Sydney LakeJuly 14, 2026
3 hours ago
Goldman economist offers a reality check on AI adoption: it took 15 years for computers to really show up in the data
AIEconomics
Goldman economist offers a reality check on AI adoption: it took 15 years for computers to really show up in the data
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 14, 2026
3 hours ago
kh
PoliticsNew York
New York, a state without nearly any data centers, becomes first to ban their construction
By Anthony Izaguirre and The Associated PressJuly 14, 2026
3 hours ago
Jon Clifton sitting behind a blue background
Successthe future of work
Gallup CEO says colonizing Mars may be closer than fixing today’s ‘broken’ workplace—where disengagement levels are as high as 2020
By Preston ForeJuly 14, 2026
4 hours ago

Most Popular

Current price of oil as of July 13, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 13, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 13, 2026
1 day ago
Summer camps remain a battleground over what it means to be American
North America
Summer camps remain a battleground over what it means to be American
By Seth T. Kannarr, Derek H. Alderman and The ConversationJuly 13, 2026
24 hours ago
The U.S. spent $30 billion to ditch textbooks for laptops and tablets: The result is the first generation less cognitively capable than their parents
Innovation
The U.S. spent $30 billion to ditch textbooks for laptops and tablets: The result is the first generation less cognitively capable than their parents
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 12, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of silver as of Monday, July 13, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Monday, July 13, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 13, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of gold as of July 13, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of gold as of July 13, 2026
By Danny BakstJuly 13, 2026
1 day ago
Exclusive: Corner Health raises $25 million to turn nurse practitioners into entrepreneurs
Newsletters
Exclusive: Corner Health raises $25 million to turn nurse practitioners into entrepreneurs
By Emma HinchliffeJuly 13, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.