Apple and Google agreed to settle existing smartphone-patent lawsuits against each other

The ongoing legal war between two of tech's leading brands, Apple and Google, has finally come to an end, after they agreed to settle existing smartphone-patent lawsuits against each other.

In a joint statement, Apple and Google outlined a plan to work together on patent reform, an area that has seen the two companies locked in legal warfare for years.

"Apple and Google have agreed to dismiss all the current lawsuits that exist directly between the two companies," according a statement released by both companies on Friday. "Apple and Google have also agreed to work together in some areas of patent reform. The agreement does not include a cross license."

The legal truce specifically relates to litigation between Apple and Google's Motorola business. Although Google recently sold off its Motorola hardware unit to Lenovo, the search giant still holds many Motorola patents.

The motion to dismiss the legal battle, which began in 2010, is detailed in a filing entered with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on Friday. Posted by AppleInsider, it states, in part:

Plaintiffs-Appellants Apple Inc. and NeXT Software, Inc., together with Defendants-Cross Appellants Motorola, Inc. and Motorola Mobility, Inc., respectfully move the Court to issue the mandate in these consolidated appeals, so that the parties can proceed to the district court to dismiss the litigation without prejudice. The parties further agree that each party will bear its own costs and attorneys' fees.

However, the ceasefire between Apple and Google doesn't end the ongoing legal skirmish between Apple and Samsung, which continue to do battle internationally over a wide array of smartphone patents.

Posted by : Gizmeon