SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Samsung Electronics Co. has
signed an agreement with Google Inc. to cross-license their patents,
reducing the risk of costly legal disputes over intellectual property
and likely fostering greater collaborate between the two tech giants.
Seoul-based
Samsung said Monday that the deal covers patents to be filed over the
next 10 years as well as existing patents. Financial terms were not
disclosed.
Allen Lo, a deputy general counsel at Google, said in a
statement that the deal allows the two to reduce the potential for
litigation and to focus on innovation.
Samsung said it also paves
the way for deeper collaboration on research and development for Samsung
and Google. The two already collaborate on smartphones and televisions.
The
announcement means there will be a higher possibility for Samsung to
participate in Google’s key projects as a hardware partner, said Chung
Chang-won, an analyst at Nomura Financial Investment Co.
Chung
picked wearable PCs, which connect everyday objects such as glasses to
wireless networks, and Google’s self-driving cars as the products that
Samsung could join forces on with Google.
Samsung is the world’s
largest maker of popular consumer electronics such as smartphones and
televisions, and key tech components such as memory chips for mobile
phones and PCs.
Google, the world’s largest search company and
maker of the most used mobile operating system, Android, has been moving
to acquire hardware manufacturers such as Motorola Mobility and Nest
Labs.
Tech companies often use litigation to stop rivals from
using patents without permission but many of the disputes end in
cross-licensing agreements outside court.
Samsung, maker of
Android-powered Galaxy devices, is in legal fights with Apple. CEOs of
Samsung and Apple are scheduled to meet next month to give a try at
settlement per U.S. court’s request.
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