Another development on Android as Google has announced that they will no longer use Java application programming interfaces or APIs from Oracle in the coming Android updates. According to engadget, the tech giant will replace APIs with OpenJDK, version of Oracle's own Java Development Kit. In line with this a Google spokesperson via VentureBeat shared that .
"As an open-source platform, Android is built upon the collaboration of the open-source community. In our upcoming release of Android, we plan to move Android's Java language libraries to an OpenJDK-based approach, creating a common code base for developers to build apps and services. Google has long worked with and contributed to the OpenJDK community, and we look forward to making even more contributions to the OpenJDK project in the future."
This particular change will surely simplify application development thru a common codebase for Java as highlighted by engadget. In line with this change, it is now being stipulated that it might be related to the ongoing legal dispute between Oracle and tech giant Google.
In retrospect, the said dispute is because of copyright infringement, wherein Google allegedly improperly used Oracles JAVA APIs. Up to now the case sits in the lower court, after the Supreme Court was reportedly not wanting to touch the said case.
There was a speculation that both tech giants had settle the matter of the court. However, Google told venturebeat that the legal dispute is still on going. The effects of the said changes according to engadget would mean that;
"the new code should make it a touch simpler for Android N developers, possibly resulting in better apps and quicker updates. However, the court's upcoming decision could have much wider ramifications. If they decide that API's from the likes of Java can be copyrighted, it could turn the patent wars into even more of a cluster-you-know-what."
