The Korean electronics giant and the Android pater familias are probably not going to sue each other over a bunch of stuff because, they’re pals, buddies, hate Apple, and do things for each other. Group hug.
Samsung and Google have signed a global patent cross-license agreement covering a broad range of technologies and business areas. The mutually beneficial agreement covers the two companies’ existing patents as well as those filed over the next 10 years.
With this agreement, Samsung and Google gain access to each other’s industry-leading patent portfolios, paving the way for deeper collaboration on research and development of current and future products and technologies.
“This agreement with Google is highly significant for the technology industry,” said Dr. Seungho Ahn, the Head of Samsung’s Intellectual Property Center. “Samsung and Google are showing the rest of the industry that there is more to gain from cooperating than engaging in unnecessary patent disputes.”
It’s all pretty boilerplate corporate cuddling because Google and Samsung are tight. Samsung’s smartphone business is build on Google’s Android and they both need each other especially considering that Apple and Samsung have been going at each in litigation for a number of years.
Granted the courts want Apple and Samsung to sit down and hug it out by February 19 but that’s not going to happen. Apple has won round 1, and the disagreements stretch to a number of patents that may impact other Android smartphone makers, but with so much at stake, there is not going to be a clear cut winner for many years to come.
