Skip to main content

Google's Nexus One gets multi-touch, Apple's patents be damned

Ever since Google’s Android came on the scene, it hasn’t had true multi-touch.  A report by Venturebeat said that Apple had asked Google not to use multi-touch in its Android phones and Google had complied, rather than get into legal trouble.

Fast forward to today.  Google has sent out an update to its Nexus One phones enabling multi-touch on Maps, the Chrome Browser, Gallery and other applications.   Multi-touch will only be available on 2.0+ phones and the updates are coming throughout the week (assuming Droid is next here).

What happened?  Are the gloves coming off?  Palm has had multi-touch for awhile and nothing legal has come up yet.  Perhaps Google thinks (perhaps correctly) that Apple won’t try to protect its share of multi-touch patent ownership? The update also included Google Goggles, Night Driving for Navigator GPS and an update to the 3G.

 

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel