[temphn]

Several points:

1) Google has Android because they did something very similar to Apple: Eric Schmidt was on Apple's board and used his inside info to drive smartphone development at Google. A massive lawsuit then transpired, but for Google on balance it was worth it to steal the Android IP from Apple.

http://9to5mac.com/2011/10/20/steve-jobs-im-going-to-destroy...

2) For that matter, David Drummond was on the board of Uber and arguably took info from there to Google as well, using it to start their ride hailing project. Uber did not sue at that time.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-02/exclusive...

3) Google was very slow on self-driving. Levandowski and others tried to get Google to ship a real self-driving car product for years, but only Uber actually had the cojones to do it in Pittsburgh and Arizona. That is what finally lit a fire under Google to spin out Waymo.

[Oletros]

> 1) Google has Android because they did something very similar to Apple: Eric Schmidt was on Apple's board and used his inside info to drive smartphone development at Google. A massive lawsuit then transpired, but for Google on balance it was worth it to steal the Android IP from Apple.

This is totally false

[ChuckMcM]

I don't disagree but I also don't see your point. Android licensees have paid more to Microsoft than Google[1], Drummond was on the board but was never an engineer[2], and Google's inability to execute on its Driverless car vision is eerily reminiscent of Google attacking Microsoft Office [3] or stealing key employees [4].

My point is that I understand it is a very competitive and "when they do it, it's bad, when I do it, it's strategy" kind of world. And I completely understand why Levandowski might just say (note he didn't, I just can imagine that he might) "Screw them I'm the one making this happen, I deserve all this money and it is my data, I created it or caused it to be created."[5]

Google already paid huuge sums of money to these engineers[6]. And they have been unable to make any money here or nearly as much progress as others. So one wonders if this is actually an 'Overture' maneuver[7]. Where they agree to settle for 10% of Uber's stock which they will sell all of at the IPO. Netting back their investment in self driving, and a nice bonus. Then they dump the whole thing on Fiat Chrysler and move along.

These things are fun to watch, they don't often happen quite so visibly.

[1] http://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-is-making-2bn-a-year-...

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Drummond_(Google)

[3] http://www.businessinsider.com/google-plan-to-beat-microsoft...

[4] WARNING - autoplaying video https://www.cnet.com/news/microsoft-sues-over-google-hire/

[5] The three conditions of the fraud triangle, opportunity, pressure, and rationalization -- http://www.hrzone.com/hr-glossary/what-is-the-fraud-triangle

[6] http://www.theverge.com/2017/2/13/14599186/google-waymo-self...

[7] http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/10/business/technology-google...