Google's earnings from its Android operating system was finally revealed during a recent legal tussle with Oracle. As Annette Hurst, Oracle's lawyer, made her case in explaining Google's use of Java software without paying for it, she revealed that the search giant generates as much as $31 billion in revenue out of Android, according to Bloomberg. She was highlighting the magnitude of commerciality in relation to Google's free use of the Java platform.
Google's profit, which stands at around $22 billion, has never been publicly released. The company was not happy about the public disclosure and has asked the San Francisco court where the case is being heard to seal the transcripts of the legal proceeding or redact them, at least.
"Google does not publicly allocate revenues or profits to Android separate and apart from Google's general business," Google said. "That non-public financial data is highly sensitive, and public disclosure could have significant negative effects on Google's business."
The lawsuit, which stemmed from Google's use of Java to build Android, has been ongoing since 2010. Google initially won early rulings, but Oracle's appeals have successfully overturned those, according to The Verge. The two companies are now embroiled in a proceeding that will determine how much Google will pay Oracle for damages. Google has always maintained that it doesn't have to pay for using the software, Engadget reported.
