Google and Samsung sign 10-year patent license deal

Samsung has entered two separate patent licensing agreements with Google and Ericsson. The deal with Ericsson resolves all patent issues between the two companies, Samsung agreed to pay Ericsson an initial $650 million as well as royalty payments thereafter.

The Google patent deal on the other hand is a means to work together more closely, it's a 10-year cross-licensing agreement and a clear message to the rest of the industry:

Meanwhile, the deal with Google didn’t originate from any patent disputes between the two, but rather as a means to work together more closely, reduce the potential for litigation and focus on innovation. Financial terms of the deal remain confidential but the end result is a 10-year cross-licensing agreement giving each company access to existing and future patents covering a “range of technologies and business areas”.

The deal also aims to send out a message to the rest of the industry that “there is more to gain from co-operating than engaging in unnecessary patent disputes.” That’s clearly a reference not only to the ongoing disputes with Apple, but many other big names in the industry using their patent portfolios to wage war on rivals.

Source: TechSpot