The vicious fight between Broadcom and Qualcomm over patents has resulted in peace breaking out, worldwide.
All the court actions between the companies will cease – there were battles going on at the International Trade Commission, in a US district court, with the European Commission and with the Korea Fair Trade Commission.
Qualcomm will shell out $891 million to Broadcom over a four year period and the terms of the agreement are as follows.
Both companies won’t assert patents against each other for their integrated circuit products and some other, unspecified, products and services.
Broadcom won’t take action against Qualcomm customers for ICs in cellular products, although those customers won’t have rights to any of Broadcom’s patents.
And, vice versa, for Qualcomm. So the battle, unlike that between Tweedledum and Tweedledee won’t resume any time real soon now.
Paul Jacobs, CEO of Qualcomm, and Scott McGregegor, CEO of Broadcom made conciliatory noises. Said Jacobs: “The agreement removes uncertainty for Qualcomm and its customers. Said McGregor: “We have set aside our differences.”
All that remains now is for the companies to pay their lawyers’ bills. The lawyers won’t be happy but presumably have made a handsome little pile out of the squabble.
