Apple and Google's Motorola Mobility unit agree to settle patent litigation

Late Friday, Apple and Google announced that the pair have settled all patent litigation between Apple and Google's Motorola Mobility. However, the deal does not include a cross licensing deal between the two firms. What might be more important is that both Apple and Google agreed to work together in some areas of patent reform. Google had acquired Motorola for $12.5 billion in 2011, but agreed to sell off the handsets business to Lenovo earlier this year. The majority of Motorola's vast IP library will remain with Google.

While this agreement should lead to a dismissal of some cases that are still pending, it is not expected to have any impact on Apple's patent trials against Samsung. The first trial, during which Apple was awarded $930 million, is under appeal. The second trial, during which Apple was awarded $119.6 million, still needs to go through any post-trial motions. Despite Apple winning a small percentage of what it was asking for, Samsung has said that it will appeal that verdict as well.

Apple and Motorola battled each other in court during 2010 when Motorola accused Apple of infringing on a number of patents including one that deals with how a smartphone work on a 3G network. Apple reciprocated with a suit accusing Motorola of using its patents. Both cases were consolidated into one in 2012, and dismissed by Judge Richard Posner, who said that neither side had enough evidence to win its case. But last month, an appeals court ruled that Apple can continue to seek a sales ban against Motorola, a ruling that is now moot thanks to today's settlement between the two companies.

source: Reuters