"droid" name

[jason171]

Random question:

Who owns the "Droid" name? I know Android is google's OS, but I figured that Motorola must own the TM for "Droid," since they had the product which was just that name alone. If "Droid" is owned by VZW or Google or someone else, it's surprising they let Moto release the original Droid without a sub-moniker. If "Droid" is owned by Moto, it's very surprising that they allowed HTC to utilize their brand. Anyone have any insight?

 

[clarithromycin]

i think "droid" is owned by george lucas and verizon pays him money to use the name

 

[RawlingsSc]

i think "droid" is owned by george lucas and verizon pays him money to use the name

You are correct.

 

[FramCire]

i think "droid" is owned by george lucas and verizon pays him money to use the name

Droid is owned by Lucas Inc BUT I believe Google pays for the right to use it.

Either way, you are correct about the ownership!

 

[Oddity]

Yup its licensed by Verizon.

 

[1967ls2]

Verizon pays Lucas Inc royalties to use the "droid" name....

 

[jason171]

Wow - someone at a bar told me that and I laughed it off. Too funny

Thanks for the info!

 

[secretLOVER]

Engadgets justin timberlake fb post made me wonder as well. I enjoy reading the comments to all my tech fan pages. They say an r2d2 moto droid 2 is n the works for sep. Good stuff.

 

[Colchicine]

There is some misinformation in this thread. To set it straight...

The name "Droid" is licensed from Lucas Film's inc. to VZW (NOT Google or Motorola). Therefore, Android phones not on the VZW network can not be a "Droid", i.e "Droid Evo" is not correct.

VZW only uses "Droid" for its top of the line Android phones. Not all VZW Android phones get this designation, such as the $50 LG Ally.

To complicate things further, "Droid" is also the model name of two Motorola Android phones.

 

[secretLOVER]

Always figured it was vzw's due to the name usage as posted above. Never thought anything else of it till today.

 

[anabsa]

Droid is owned by Lucas Inc BUT I believe Google pays for the right to use it.

Either way, you are correct about the ownership!

If it was Google licensing "Droid" then there would be many, many handsets branded that way and on different providers. As it is only Verizon that has the "Droid" branded phones, it is safe to say only they have licensed it.

Think of it this way: Why would Motorola need very different names for 1 phone sold on different providers? The Milestone and the Droid are essentially the same phone. While the Milestone is GSM, it is still sold by multiple providers.

I hope that helps.

 

[PearlRose]

Definitely licensed to Verizon but owned by Lucasfilm

From here: See What DROID

 

[richb82]

So is Android free game then or is that Google or Lucas property as well?

 

[euph_22]

So is Android free game then or is that Google or Lucas property as well?

LucasFilm just owns Droid. Android is owned buy google.