Google CEO Larry Page revealed a few choice words about Android and how much of a priority it is to the company during a trial today with Oracle over the lawsuit dating back to 2010. Page was asked about Android’s importance to Google in 2010, to which he responded, “I believe Android was very important for Google. I wouldn’t say it was critical.”
Though that quote will undoubtedly go down as one of the more conspicuous things Page has said during his career, he went on to say that Google didn’t really view Android as a standalone product. Instead, it acted as a portal to get Google’s other wide range of services into the hands of mobile users. “We’d been frustrated getting our technology out to people,” he explained.
In many ways, that is still true today. The big attraction of Android for many people is its tight integration with online services like Google search, Gmail, Google Talk, and more that they already know and love. Page’s point of view has arguably never been more evident than with the rebranding of the Android Market into Google Play.
Oracle filed the lawsuit against Google in August 2010. It’s suing the Internet search giant for allegedly infringing on numerous patents related to Java in Android. Oracle had completed the acquisition of Sun Microsystems, creator of Java, earlier that year. Larry Page’s testimony might be over, but the trial itself is far from it. It’s scheduled to take up to 10 weeks to complete and we could hear some of Rubin or Schmidt’s thoughts in the days ahead.