consider it or not , there really is more than one company using balloons to cover the macrocosm with wi - fi . Space Data Corphas process Google , claim that it stole the idea forProject Loonduring a 2007 meeting .
Apparently , Google had considered buying Space Data — which uses balloon technology to cater radio for oil companies — almost a tenner ago . Execs from the two companies met , supposedly shared deal secrets , and signed a non - disclosure agreement , according to the lawsuitfiled earlier this calendar week . The lawsuit also citestwopatentswhich predate Project Loon and which Google purportedly run afoul .
There was another meeting a niggling later with demo , pictures … and then no plenty , despite aWall Street Journal report on the meeting . Allegedly , Google begin to work on Project Loon after breaking off talk with Space Data in other 2008 .
One thing is for indisputable : Space Data ’s technology is not used with closely as much oftenness as Project Loon . It hold FCC licenses to provide wireless access in place like Alaska , but Project Loon hasflown balloonsover Australia , Indonesia and , most late , Sri Lanka .
As with any immense troupe , this is far from the first time Google has been accuse of stealing an idea . Architect Eli Attilahas action the company for have too munificently from his workand the caller was also sued over claims that Waze , which it buy , steal data from a challenger . But perhaps the best legal second was when plaintiffs arrogate Googlewrote down plans to steal an estimate on Post - its . peradventure Google needs to find out to give credit where it ’s deserved .
[ Justia , viaForbes , The Verge ]
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