Oracle, Google Fail to Settle Android Lawsuit Before Retrial After a deadlocked jury in 2012, the companies failed to reach an agreement at a settlement conference last week.

By Reuters

This story originally appeared on Reuters

Reuters | Dado Ruvic | Illustration

Oracle Corp. and Alphabet's Google unit failed to settle a long running copyright lawsuit over the Android operating system ahead of a retrial scheduled for May, according to a court docket.

The case involves how much copyright protection should extend to the Java programming language, which Google used to design Android. Oracle is seeking billions in royalties for Google's use of some of the Java language, while Google argues it should be able to use Java without paying a fee.

At trial in San Francisco federal court in 2012, the jury deadlocked on Google's fair use defense. Both companies participated in a court-ordered settlement conference on Friday before a U.S. magistrate in San Jose, California, in an attempt to stave off retrial next month.

Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai and Oracle CEO Safra Catz both attended, but talks were unsuccessful, U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul Grewal wrote in a brief statement.

"After an earlier run at settling this case failed, the court observed that some cases just need to be tried," Grewal wrote. "This case apparently needs to be tried twice."

Representatives for both companies could not immediately be reached for comment.

(Editing by Bernard Orr and Matthew Lewis)

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Science & Technology

7 AI Tools to Build a Profitable One-Person Business That Runs While You Sleep

Smart systems to help solo founders scale fast.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Starting a Business

I Had 'Too Much Experience' to Find a Job. So I Used Facebook to Start a Small Business That's Making About $500,000 a Year.

After Amber Starling moved to Manhattan, Kansas, a frustrating job search led to a life-changing business opportunity.

Business News

Most Major Retailers Are Open on Memorial Day, Except One. Here's What's Open and Closed This Monday.

From grocery stores to warehouse retailers, here's what to know about Memorial Day closures.

Business News

'I Run My House Like a Military Operation': Skims Chief Emma Grede Says This Is Her Precise Daily Routine

Grede is a CEO, founder, and serial entrepreneur. Here's how she prioritizes her day.

Business News

New AI Model Will Likely Blackmail You If You Try to Shut It Down: 'Self-Preservation'

When given the choice between blackmail and being deactivated, Claude Opus 4 chose blackmail 84% of the time.