So speculating on why Google wants ITA software ranges from the good to the bizarre.
The usual candidates are its Search Business, its software and its expertise. But I have another idea. In addition to the above - how about it wants to become a huge player in the overall travel space and can do that with the significant library of ITA's Patents
Let me list a two of them...
The Needlebase Patent - United States Patent 7668740
Fare Construction Patent US Patent 6263323
I wont spoil your fun by listing them all - but there are a lot of them. The categories range from payment to user interface to shopping as well as the obvious. And these are but a few. You can be darn sure that right now there are a bunch of lawyers pouring over these little gems.
And there are a whole lot more being filed and in the works.
Think about it.
If you are in the business of travel - perhaps you should be afraid now. If high priced Google patent pit bull attack lawyers get a hold of these - those of us in Travel Technology will have a very miserable life.
Scary?... Yup - now you see why that $1 billion number is not that bad.
Cheers
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