Google to back HTC in Apple patent infringement lawsuit?

In a written email statement sent to TechCrunch after the news of Apple’s patent infringement lawsuit against HTC came out, Google has this to say: “We are not a party to this lawsuit. However, we stand behind our Android operating system and the partners who have helped us to develop it.”

This is interesting simply because Google took the time to make a statement in response to the news when their company technically isn’t being sued. That being said, HTC does make many phones that run Google’s mobile operating system: Android. The most notable of these phones for Google is the Nexus One, their own branded phone.

Therefore, a lawsuit against HTC is technically also an attack against Google, who relies heavily upon HTC for the hardware that many of their phones uses. While Google is still not actually named in the suit, it will be interesting to see to what extent they get themselves involved. I suppose it’s all just part of the ongoing “battle” between Google and Apple that they aren’t really admitting exists in the mobile operating system space.

Keep watching for news on this one, people, it’s going to be fun.

Via [TechCrunch]