Motorola & Apple agree to drop their lawsuits against each other, instead agree to work on patent reform

A report coming out of the US this afternoon from Reuters, is reporting that Motorola and Apple have agreed to drop their respective lawsuits against one another, effectively ending one of the highest profile lawsuits in technology so far, instead both companies looking to work together on some areas of patent reform.

In a joint press statement, both companies have stated that the settlement does not include a cross license to their respective patents. Instead the press release went on to state that:

“Apple and Google have also agreed to work together in some areas of patent reform,”

Neither Motorola or Apple are willing to state what the exact details of their agreement entails, although it won’t be surprising if it involves efforts to stop frivolous lawsuits from patent trolls which both companies consistently face. The two companies haven’t said what prompted this sudden change of heart, however it does seem to be hot on the heels of an appeals court reviving patent claims from Apple and Motorola that had been dismissed way back in 2012.

Both phone makers may have faced the prospect of renewing a fight over relatively old and potentially outdated (and in some cases no longer very valuable) infringement allegations, so peace maybe the only way forward as is a more pragmatic option for both companies. This certainly is some good and very welcome news for us folk who would rather see phone manufacturers and makers compete in stores for our attention than in the courtroom.

Do you think Apple and Motorola have made the right decision? Do you think we can see more agreements like this come in the future?