Apple and HTC settle all patent litigation, agree to 10-year licensing deal

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Apple announced on Saturday that it has reached a global settlement with HTC that includes the dismissal of all ongoing court litigation, and will participate in a ten-year license agreement that covers current and future patents held by both companies.

HTC One X
HTC's One X smartphone was at the center of an Apple-won injunction.


While the details of the settlement are scarce, Apple issued a statement on its website announcing the termination of all current patent disputes with HTC, with the ten-year agreement poised to be used as protection against any future suits.

The Cupertino tech giant has long been at odds with HTC over a number of claimed patents, including a complaint originated the Taiwanese handset manufacturer lodged in Delaware that sought to ban the U.S. sale of the iPhones, iPads and certain Mac computers over violation of claimed Wi-Fi patents.

The heads of both companies issued similar statements, with Apple CEO Tim Cook saying, ?We are glad to have reached a settlement with HTC. We will continue to stay laser focused on product innovation.?

Peter Chou, CEO of HTC echoed Cook and said, "HTC is pleased to have resolved its dispute with Apple, so HTC can focus on innovation instead of litigation.?

In August, after a round of court-ordered talks to urge the companies toward reaching a settlement, HTC said it had no intention on settling in any of the multiple cases against Apple. The outcome was similar to a discussion in September over a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission.

Apple was first to file against HTC in 2010, when it alleged infringement of certain iPhone patents.

In December, Apple was granted an injunction against HTC handsets violating its so-called "data-detectors" patent, which caused the delayed release of the Taiwan-based company's HTC One X and Evo 4G LTE as the devices were held at U.S. customs.

The terms of the Apple and HTC agreement remain confidential.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 77


    Cool. Bravo to both. 

  • Reply 2 of 77
    I must say, of all smartphone companies, HTC is one whose innovation is least apparent. Hopefully, cessation of litigation will indeed help.
  • Reply 3 of 77
    Wonder how costly it was for HTC to settle and how much they will pay per phone.
  • Reply 4 of 77
    gtrgtr Posts: 3,231member


    Hey, AppleInsider,


     


    You misspelled Samsung as HTC in this article!!!


     


    image


     


     

  • Reply 5 of 77


    Originally Posted by jason98 View Post

    Wonder how costly it was for HTC to settle and how much they will pay per phone.


     


    That's the spirit! Though I certainly think it's possible Apple did their share of infringing. But the HTC stuff wasn't so much trade dress, was it?

  • Reply 6 of 77
    jason98 wrote: »
    Wonder how costly it was for HTC to settle and how much they will pay per phone.
    I doubt that the settlement was one-sided and it had to be best interest of both parties to settle, since the lawsuits were not easy slam dunk for Apple.
  • Reply 7 of 77
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,178member


    Very good to see. Hopefully this is just the first of many settlements between the different tech players. 

  • Reply 8 of 77


    I expect little to no money changed hands, but Apple likely got an "anti-copying" provision like they did when they licensed to Microsoft.


     


    Good for both parties IMO.

  • Reply 9 of 77


    This gives apple a good gloss regarding Samsung litigation as it show they are a company willing to settle fairly, thus planting a seed of doubt regarding Samsung's attitude in the mind of any judge.

  • Reply 10 of 77


    Originally Posted by AnalogJack View Post

    …thus planting a seed of doubt regarding Samsung's attitude in the mind of any judge.


     


    Except the UK ones, I guess, to which this should have been readily apparent upon the release of their first post-iPhone/Pad products… 

  • Reply 11 of 77
    gtr wrote: »
    Hey, AppleInsider,

    You misspelled Samsung as HTC in this article!!!

    LL


    In that case they also mistakenly wrote "agree to 10-year licensing deal" instead of "when hell freezes over."
  • Reply 12 of 77
    That's the spirit! Though I certainly think it's possible Apple did their share of infringing. But the HTC stuff wasn't so much trade dress, was it?

    Not the big case. That one was on the data detection patents
  • Reply 13 of 77
    galbigalbi Posts: 968member


    HTC settled because they are not making moolahs.


     


    Samsung, on the other hand, will probably go all the way.


     


    Koreans dont like to give in.

  • Reply 14 of 77
    I wonder if they will announce the details at the next quarterly conference call.
  • Reply 15 of 77


    And this is how mature, professional businessmen work things out, unlike the egotistical mafia like goons in korea. Samscum think that because they can get away with bribing judges and buying favours from politicians, they feel invulnerable to any criticism. They even own the media in korea, print and television. Anyone who shows dissent against them go missing or end up in jail. You only have to read an open and honest report by a journalist who isn't in the pockets of samscum. This is a must read.


     


    Well done fellas.

  • Reply 16 of 77
    kr00 wrote: »
    This is a must read.

    Well done fellas.

    A good read indeed, thanks for that link.
  • Reply 17 of 77


    Since Apple sued Samsung and others, its shares have fallen by over $100+, Sales have fallen all over the world and samsung is beating them in sales, Apple is also losing cases against everyone in court that sues them... Companies are lining up to sue Apple.


     


    I saw this coming when Apple shares were over $700.


     


    I just hope Apple realize that they need to make more than one phone model/design to beat the market. one cannot rule them all anymore as people want different styles or bigger screens

  • Reply 18 of 77
    Yay!

    This is good news and a good precedent, as mentioned above, that Apple is willing to reach an agreement with people who are also willing.
  • Reply 19 of 77


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post





    In that case they also mistakenly wrote "agree to 10-year licensing deal" instead of "when hell freezes over."


     


     


    Ha ha! maybe it's a typo.

  • Reply 20 of 77

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Markussd View Post


    Since Apple sued Samsung and others, its shares have fallen by over $100+, Sales have fallen all over the world and samsung is beating them in sales, Apple is also losing cases against everyone in court that sues them... Companies are lining up to sue Apple.


     


    I saw this coming when Apple shares were over $700.


     


    I just hope Apple realize that they need to make more than one phone model/design to beat the market. one cannot rule them all anymore as people want different styles or bigger screens



    A good chunk of the loss is based on manipulation.


    http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2012/11/09/apple-its-mojo-and-doug-kass/


     


    There might be trouble ahead if Apple begins to make subpar products, sacrificing quality for market share, like in the 90s.


    Apple gets sued for decades. I don't see them in a problematic legal position.


    Apple will have to fight the doomsayer crowd forever.


     


    If they make 10 billions of profit this crowd will cry it should be 11 billion!


    They do this because it serves them well.

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