Motorola Droid gets multitouch in maps (with video)

Android News

Motorola Droid gets multitouch in maps (with video)

February 5, 2010 | by Marin Perez

Android, Android Phones

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It looks like the gloves are off between Apple and Google, as the search giant has brought multitouch to the Motorola Droid via Google Maps 3.4.

As you can see in the embedded video below, it’s easy to zoom and expand using pinching motions. It’s quick, responsive, and much needed. I can’t wait for Google to expand this into the browser and gallery, as they’ve already done with the Nexus One. Google Maps 3.4 is available now in the Android Market. Go upgrade.

The word on the street is that Google has had a gentleman’s agreement with Apple not to roll out multitouch on its Android handsets in the U.S. due to patents. Palm has included multitouch in its webOS platform and hasn’t been bothered legally, so it’s safe to assume Apple’s patents are weak at best. Additionally, the Droid’s European cousin Milestone has had multitouch in it from day one.

Android, apple, Cell phone, droid, Google, motorola, multitouch, Nexus One, smartphone

2 Comments

Dane says:

February 6, 2010 at 2:42 pm

"Palm has included multitouch in its webOS platform and hasn’t been bothered legally, so it’s safe to assume Apple’s patents are weak at best." Apple's patents may be weak, but whether Palm has been bothered legally isn't a good barometer of that. Apple owns a lot of patents in the hand-held arena, so does Palm. In such situations, it isn't uncommon for two giants to ignore the other… living and letting live, so to speak, because patent wars are costly, time-consuming, and usually have a scorched-earth feel to them after resolution (we'll see this first hand with the Nokia/Apple suit). Think of it as nuclear warfare. You may have a nuke, but if your opponent has one, too, you're both screwed and no one wins. Google, on the other hand, doesn't have a strong portfolio of patents in this arena. To continue the analogy, it's a lot easier to fire off a nuclear missile when you know one won't come bearing back down on you. It may be that Google has decided it is financially better off to utilize multitouch for the purpose of Android market penetration AND have to pay any resulting royalties. Alternatively, Google may have examined Apple's patents and found them wanting. That Palm has not been sued, however, probably wasn't a factor because it isn't really relevant to Google's position.
Braidy Johnson says:

February 7, 2010 at 4:15 pm

Is this just available for the motorala droid or all android devices? i have the htc hero which also has multi touch in the gallery and browser already.