According to the electronics giant, Samsung and Google have signed a global patent license agreement that, according to Samsung's official blog, "covers the two companies' existing patents as well as those filed over the next 10 years."
The patent war in the smart device realm has been raging for years; whether it's Apple and Samsung at each other's throats or one half of the tech sector suing the other, litigation has been the main weapon in a conflict that used to be won with innovation.
The new agreement may be a step back to the good 'ol days, when being the best meant having the best product, not the best attorneys. According to Allen Lo, Deputy General Counsel for Patents at Google, with "agreements like this, companies can reduce the potential for litigation and focus instead on innovation."
Indeed, just a day after the the Google agreement, Samsung came to terms with Ericsson, who sued the Korean company in 2012 for infringing on its network connectivity technology.
After years of bickering and litigation fatigue, these deals, as well as steps towards mediation between Apple and Samsung, may finally be the initial steps in the direction that this industry needs to stride in.
Gavel image via Shutterstock
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