Google and Samsung agree to license each other’s patents for 10 years

With Samsung being a major player and manufacturer of smartphones and tablets and with Android the major mobileOS shipping on those devices a mutually beneficial relationship between the companies is a foregone conclusion, so when both parties announced today that they would be licensing each other’s patents for 10 years, it just seemed unsurprising really.

The deal is for all currently existing as well as future patents lodged within the next 10 years and guarantees a neutral zone when it comes to lawsuits at least where these two companies are concerned.

The problem lies, with another mobile OS that Samsung has been slowly building support for which could possibly see them eventually – read a very far way down the track – moving over to another mobile OS called Tizen, a new OS which should launch in the coming weeks at an event which is scheduled for the 23rd of February which will showcase devices running the new OS.

With Samsung facing legal action by Apple – and even the so called ‘Rockstar consortium’ in various countries and courts around the world, it remains to be seen if this deal will then drag Google into the courtroom, in a long awaited battle that could once and for all end the litigation that has plagued the industry, and eventually see vendors get back to what they’re good at – innovating.

The move to cross-license patents is also believed to be a sign of good faith so as to not burn bridges should Samsung begin to drift away from Android with the launch of Tizen, if it goes as well as Samsung hopes, although with WP8, Blackberry 10, FirefoxOS, Ubuntu Touch, SailfishOS and even more mobile OS’s appearing, the question remains – do we need another mobileOS?

What do you think about this patent share license be good thing for both Google and Samsung. Do you think this could reduce further legal action being taken out by other manufacturers? We would like to hear your thoughts in the comments below.