Google and Microsoft have called a truce on their legal battles in the United States and Germany, spanning across many lawsuits all in regards to certain patents and royalties- perhaps Apple and Samsung could find a few inspiration here.
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The lawsuits related to a variety of technologies, including mobile phones, wifi, and patents used in Microsoft’s Xbox game consoles and other Windows products.
While the resolution between Microsoft and Google is somewhat unorthodox for the two competing companies traditional stance towards each other, it shouldn’t be that surprising.
And Google and Microsoft, along with other video-heavy tech companies, recently announced plans to create stronger-better-faster media formats, all as part of the Alliance for Open Media. Going forward Microsoft and Google have pledged to work together to collaborate on patent matters and for the overall benefit of customers. The search giant had however, retained the bulk of the patents it took on in the original deal. However, Microsoft won the case in 2013, when the company was ordered to pay only $1.8 million a year for the royalties.
Microsoft has been the chief aggressor in this spat, having alleged beginning in 2010 that Google’s Android mobile operating system infringed on several of its patents. Financial terms between the two companies are confidential, and which company ended up winning the cases remains unclear.
It is the latest move by technology firms to keep patent rows out of the courts. The two companies have settled all their patent issues, settling 18 cases between them. Earlier this year, it sued Kyocera, the most recent in a long string of patent lawsuits over Android.
Microsoft andd Google have agreed to dismiss about 20 patent lawsuits that stretch back five years. Since then, the Redmond-based company has signed patent licensing agreements with just about every Android device vendor in the business.
“Microsoft obtained an order blocking the feature on Motorola phones imported into the U.S. though it later said that USA customs officials never enforced it”, according to Bloomberg.
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Wednesday’s deal isn’t the first among colossi that are smartphone to settle their patent disputes.
