Sonos sues Google for patent infringement

Sonos is suing Google, alleging the Big Tech major infringed on five of its patents in wireless speaker technology.

CNN’s Clare Duffy had the news:

Sonos is suing Google, claiming that its popular smart speakers infringe on five of Sonos’ patents.

Sonos (SONO) alleges that Google (GOOG) stole its technology for creating a system of wireless speakers that can connect over the internet and be controlled individually or collectively by a mobile app, according to court documents. The company said in its complaint that Google’s size has allowed it to undercut Sonos’ prices and position in the market.

Sonos has filed two complaints — one in US District Court in the central district of California and another with the International Trade Commission. Google’s “actions have caused significant damage to Sonos,” the District Court complaint states. Sonos is asking the court to restrict Google from selling the smart speakers it says are infringing on its patents, including some products in the Google Home and Google Nest lines. It also seeks unidentified compensation for damages.

Google denies that it copied Sonos’s technology.

“We dispute these claims and will defend them vigorously,” Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda said in an emailed statement to CNN Business.

The Daily Mail’s Luke Kenton quoted Sonos CEO Patrick Spence as saying:

‘Google is an important partner with whom we have collaborated successfully for years, including bringing the Google Assistant to the Sonos platform last year. However, Google has been blatantly and knowingly copying our patented technology in creating its audio products,’ Patrick Spence, Sonos CEO, told DailyMail.com in an emailed statement.

‘Despite our repeated and extensive efforts over the last few years, Google has not shown any willingness to work with us on a mutually beneficial solution. We’re left with no choice but to litigate in the interest of protecting our inventions, our customers, and the spirit of innovation that’s defined Sonos from the beginning.’

Sonos makes home speakers compatible with both Google’s AI-powered assistant as well as Amazon’s Alexa. While their speakers predate Google’s line of Nest Home devices, Google sells the same amount of speakers that Sonos does in a year, in just a few months – credited largely to its significantly cheaper price points. 

Sonos is now seeking unspecified  financial damages against Google, as well as a ban on any of the company’s speakers, smartphones or laptops from being sold in the US.

Adi Robertson reported for The Verge:

Sonos says it warned Google about the infringement several times, starting in 2016, a few months after Google announced its Home smart speaker. It claims to have repeated the warning in 2018 — after the release of the Google Home Max and Home Mini — and by February 2019, it had accused Google of infringing on 100 Sonos patents. The lawsuit cites numerous news reports that point out similarities between Google’s new product features and systems that Sonos had already pioneered, including synchronizing audio across groups of speakers, adjusting the group volume, and setting up devices on a local wireless network.

The list of allegedly infringing products is exhaustive. In addition to the Chromecast Audio and Google Home lineup, it includes the Chromecast and Chromecast Ultra; the Nest Mini, Nest Hub, Nest Hub Max, and Nest Wifi Point; and the Pixel phones, Pixel Slate tablet, and Pixelbook laptop. (The Pixel devices are listed as “infringing hardware controller devices” that have infringing Google audio apps preinstalled.)

Sonos claims that Amazon has also violated its patents with the Echo device family, but the Times writes that its executives decided against “battling two tech giants in court at once.” Amazon and Google both denied infringement claims to the Times. “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,” a Google spokesperson told The Verge.