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  • April 2009 (Revised May 2017)
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Skyhook Wireless

By: Shikhar Ghosh and Thomas R. Eisenmann
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:19
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Abstract

Ted Morgan, the founder of Skyhook Wireless just received a call from Steve Jobs of Apple asking for a meeting. Ted must decide how to prepare for a meeting that could finally give Skyhook an anchor customer. Ted and his team have worked for three years to build a new approach to location based services that uses WiFi rather than the well-established satellite based GPS technology. Skyhook's approach is more accurate than GPS in urban areas and, unlike GPS, it works indoors. Yet, large device manufacturers are reluctant to be the first ones to use it. Skyhook has no customers. The board and investors are getting restless. Should Ted offer Steve Jobs a free license, or pay him for Apple's user base—or should he insist on a substantial license fee? The case examines the challenges faced by entrepreneurs in creating a technology-based company and in getting market traction against an established standard.

Keywords

Mobile and Wireless Technology; Information Technology; Business Ventures; Business Startups; Technology Industry

Citation

Ghosh, Shikhar, and Thomas R. Eisenmann. "Skyhook Wireless." Harvard Business School Case 809-119, April 2009. (Revised May 2017.)
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About The Authors

Shikhar Ghosh

Entrepreneurial Management
→More Publications

Thomas R. Eisenmann

Entrepreneurial Management
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Related Work

    • April 2009 (Revised May 2017)
    • Faculty Research

    Skyhook Wireless

    By: Shikhar Ghosh and Thomas R. Eisenmann
    • March 2019
    • Faculty Research

    Skyhook Wireless

    By: Shikhar Ghosh and Shweta Bagai
Related Work
  • Skyhook Wireless By: Shikhar Ghosh and Thomas R. Eisenmann
  • Skyhook Wireless By: Shikhar Ghosh and Shweta Bagai
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