Apple and Google give peace a chance as all patent lawsuits dropped

[sincity]

Apple and Google have agreed to cease all patent lawsuits pursued against each other.

The rival firms have set aside their legal differences in a landmark agreement, that represents a major step towards ending the intellectual property suits that have dominated the tech headlines in recent years.

The iPhone vs Android battle had seen both firms issue countless writs around the world, but now the Silicon Valley giants have vowed "to work together on some areas of patent reform."

The agreement also settles the Apple vs Motorola lawsuits Google inherited when it purchased Moto back in 2011. Moto is now in the hands of Lenovo, save those disputed mobile patents.

Sorry, Samsung...

The twenty ditched lawsuits do not include Apple's continuing claims against Samsung over allegations the Korean firm copied innovations patented in Cupertino.

Earlier this month, in the second patent trial between Apple and Samsung, a California judge imposed a $119.6m (£71m, AU$127m) fine on the latter for violation two of the former's patents.

That comes after the billion dollar fine levied against Samsung in the first trial.

While the Apple and Google peace accord does little to settle the beef with Samsung, it may represent the beginning of the end for the tiresome patent suits which many observers suggest have led to a downturn in tech innovation.

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Via Wall Street Journal