Good accuses rivals AirWatch and MobileIron of patent abuse

Mobile security vendor Good Technology has launched a pair of court cases against rivals, accusing them of patent infringement.

Good claimed MobileIron and AirWatch had made their rival mobile management tools work through “widespread patent infringement” rather than via product development.

“Smartphones and tablets have become the most important and ubiquitous piece of technology we use in our daily lives,” said King Lee, Good Technology's chief executive.

“Good has pioneered the technology and products critical to the backbone and safety of these mobile devices, and these lawsuits are about two blatant infringers of our technology – MobileIron and AirWatch.”

Good alleges the two firms have infringed on patents it holds pertaining to access management, monitoring and maintenance, and software updating on mobile devices.

While patent suits are nothing new in the febrile mobile sector, most cases have involved the high profile handset makers, such as Apple, Motorola and Samsung.

But with the burgeoning bring-your-own-device trend gripping enterprises, IT chiefs have been increasingly looking at ways to secure their smartphones. As a result, competition in the mobile management space has intensified.

A MobileIron representative told V3 it had not seen the complaints, which were filed in the San Jose District Courts, and could not comment until it had. AirWatch said it was company policy not to comment on legal matters.