The sad reality is that if Google doesn't patent it, some troll or some other big company will and that will be the end of this tech. It's a horrible game, but

The sad reality is that if Google doesn't patent it, some troll or some other big company will and that will be the end of this tech. It's a horrible game, but the alternatives are pretty bad: 1. Google never develops anything new. 2. A startup or small company develops it, some troll patents it, and even though they should win via prior art the company is destroyed through the cost of litigation. It's then bought up by a troll or some other big company, which then patents it.