Skyhook's

We are likely about to learn a lot more about how important spying on smartphone user location information is to Google, with a Massachusetts judge granting a location info competitor, Skyhook, a chance to conduct discovery in its lawsuit against Google in charges the company strong-armed smartphone manufacturers not to use Skyhook's technology.

Nathan Newman: Is Google Strong-Arming Phone Manufacturers to Access Consumer Location Info? Nathan Newman 2011

"For the first four or five years, people thought we were nuts," said Ted Morgan , Skyhook's founder and CEO.

Apple, Google Collect User Data Julia Angwin 2011

Skyhook Wireless sued Google after it forced Motorola to drop Skyhook's location service.

Edward J. Naughton: Google's Android: Closing the Honeycomb Code May Open a Legal Can of Worms Edward J. Naughton 2011

Skyhook's location-based system is used by a range of competitors to Google's location-based products, including by Mapquest and it was used by Apple before it began developing its own location-based databases using its Iphone thus the most recent publicity blowup over Apple tracking customer locations.

Nathan Newman: Is Google Strong-Arming Phone Manufacturers to Access Consumer Location Info? Nathan Newman 2011

Skyhook's location-based system is used by a range of competitors to Google's location-based products, including by Mapquest and it was used by Apple before it began developing its own location-based databases using its Iphone thus the most recent publicity blowup over Apple tracking customer locations.

Nathan Newman: Is Google Strong-Arming Phone Manufacturers to Access Consumer Location Info? Nathan Newman 2011

Skyhook's Mr. Morgan says the company attempts to protect users' privacy by collecting data via cellphone only when a person requests location from its servers—for instance when they are actively looking at a map.

Apple, Google Collect User Data Julia Angwin 2011

One alleged example has come to light in a private lawsuit, filed against Google by Skyhook Wireless Inc. The Boston-based company accused Google of using its market power to pressure smartphone makers into dropping Skyhook's location-sensing technology in favor of Google's own, competing service.

FTC Sharpens Google Probe Thomas Catan 2011

Skyhook Wireless sued Google after it forced Motorola to drop Skyhook's location service.

Edward J. Naughton: Google's Android: Closing the Honeycomb Code May Open a Legal Can of Worms Edward J. Naughton 2011

We are likely about to learn a lot more about how important spying on smartphone user location information is to Google, with a Massachusetts judge granting a location info competitor, Skyhook, a chance to conduct discovery in its lawsuit against Google in charges the company strong-armed smartphone manufacturers not to use Skyhook's technology.

Nathan Newman: Is Google Strong-Arming Phone Manufacturers to Access Consumer Location Info? Nathan Newman 2011

Ted Morgan, Skyhook's chief executive, says the firm doesn't learn the identities of the users whose phones its software tracks.

Smartphone Trackers Raise Privacy Worries 2010