Microsoft and Google agree to end patent fight, drop lawsuits
Microsoft and Google have agreed to bury all patent infringement litigation against each other, the companies announced on Wednesday, settling 18 cases in the United States and Germany, according to Reuters.
The companies said the deal puts an end to court fights involving a variety of technologies, including mobile phones, Wi-Fi, and patents used in Microsoft's Xbox game consoles and other Windows products. The agreement also drops all litigation involving Motorola Mobility, which Google sold to Lenovo last year while keeping its patents.
However, as Microsoft and Google continue to make products that compete directly with each other, including search engines and mobile computing devices, the agreement does not preclude any future infringement lawsuits, a Microsoft spokeswoman confirmed.