Sonos Sues Google For Allegedly Stealing Multi-Room Speaker Technology
Jan. 8, 2020US consumer electronics company, Sonos, has filed two federal lawsuits against Google for allegedly stealing its smart speaker technology. The lawsuits, filed with the US District Court in Los Angeles and the US International Trade Commission, alleges that the patented technology is being used by Google without permission in its multi-room speaker functionality in a range of devices, including theGoogle Home speakers,Pixel smartphonesand even the discontinued Chromecast Audio dongle.
On its part, Google has issued a statement denying the allegations in no uncertain terms, saying it will ‘vigorously’ defend itself in court. In a statement to The New York Times, company spokesperson, Jose Castaneda, said:“Over the years, we have had numerous ongoing conversations with Sonos about both companies’ IP rights and we are disappointed that Sonos brought these lawsuits instead of continuing negotiations in good faith. We dispute these claims and will defend them vigorously”.
Meanwhile, even though the lawsuit relates to just five patents, Sonos claims that at least 100 of its patents were infringed on by not only Google, but also Amazon for itsAlexa-powered Echo familyof smart speakers. While the company didn’t say whether it will also take similar action against the online retail giant, the latter released a statement denying any wrongdoing on its part, saying:“The Echo family of devices and our multiroom music technology were developed independently by Amazon”.
Featured Image Courtesy: Sonos
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